Operations research for quickly evaluating the quality of interpersonal exchanges in a family planning clinic.
Dale Huntington, S Ajavon-Kamara, Claire I. Viadro, Abdou Diop · 1991
This paper reports the findings of an operations research (OR) project designed to assess the interpersonal communication process in a family planning clinic in Dakar Senegal. Concerned that dysfunctional interpersonal relations between staff and clients were undermining family planning services the IPPF affiliate in Senegal the Association Senegaleise Pour le Bien Etre Familial (ASBEF) with assistance from the Population Councils Africa OR/TA project conducted an OR project whose objectives were to: 1) provide information regarding the strengths and weaknesses of ASBEFs client reception and screening system; 2) assess the information education and communication (IEC) and interpersonal skills of the clinics midwives and nurses aides; and 3) furnish insights into the users perspectives of the family planning services being offered at the clinic. The study which took place form April-June 1991 involved structured observations of the facilities interviews with 6 continuing users and each of the clinics staff and 9 simulated clients (primarily young unmarried first-time users). The study found that nurses aides in the reception room consistently turned away first-time clients if they were not menstruating at the time of the visit as well younger single and nulliparous women. These actions ran counter to clinic instructions and reflect cultural norms that disapprove of sexual behavior among young unmarried women. The study also revealed an inadequate system for controlling the flow of patients and a lack of instructions of how much information nurses aides are to provide clients. The exchanges between clients and midwives were found to be of high quality. ASBEF has begun to correct the deficiencies highlighted by the study.