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Open Access 01-12-2021 | Research article

“… the way we welcome them is how we will lead them to love family planning.”: family planning providers in Rwanda foster compassionate relationships with clients despite workplace challenges

Authors: Hilary M. Schwandt, Angel Boulware, Julia Corey, Ana Herrera, Ethan Hudler, Claudette Imbabazi, Ilia King, Jessica Linus, Innocent Manzi, Madelyn Merritt, Lyn Mezier, Abigail Miller, Haley Morris, Dieudonne Musemakweli, Uwase Musekura, Divine Mutuyimana, Chimene Ntakarutimana, Nirali Patel, Adriana Scanteianu, Biganette-Evidente Shemeza, Giànna Sterling-Donaldson, Chantal Umutoni, Lyse Uwera, Madeleine Zeiler, Seth Feinberg

Published in: BMC Health Services Research | Issue 1/2021

Abstract

Background

Rwanda has markedly increased the nation’s contraceptive use in a short period of time, tripling contraceptive prevalence in just 5 years between 2005 and 2010. An integral aspect of family planning programs is the interactions between family planning providers and clients. This study aims to understand the client-provider relationship in the Rwandan family planning program and to also examine barriers to those relationships.

Methods

This qualitative study in Rwanda utilized convenience sampling to include eight focus group discussions with family planning providers, both family planning nurses and community health workers, as well as in-depth interviews with 32 experienced modern contraceptive users. Study participants were drawn from the two districts in Rwanda with the highest and lowest modern contraceptive rates, Musanze and Nyamasheke, respectively Data analysis was guided by the thematic content approach, Atlas.ti 8 was utilized for coding the transcripts and collating the coding results, and Microsoft Excel for analyzing the data within code.

Results

Data analysis revealed that, despite workplace related challenges – including inadequate staffing, training, and resources, relationships between providers and clients are strong. Family planning providers work hard to understand, learn from, and support clients in their initiation and sustained use of contraceptives.

Conclusion

Given the existing context of purposeful efforts on the part of family planning providers to build relationships with their clients, if the current level of government support for family planning service provision is enhanced, Rwanda will likely sustain many current users of contraception and engage even more Rwandans in contraceptive services in the future.

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Title: “… the way we welcome them is how we will lead them to love family planning.”: family planning providers in Rwanda foster compassionate relationships with clients despite workplace challenges
Authors: Hilary M. Schwandt
Angel Boulware
Julia Corey
Ana Herrera
Ethan Hudler
Claudette Imbabazi
Ilia King
Jessica Linus
Innocent Manzi
Madelyn Merritt
Lyn Mezier
Abigail Miller
Haley Morris
Dieudonne Musemakweli
Uwase Musekura
Divine Mutuyimana
Chimene Ntakarutimana
Nirali Patel
Adriana Scanteianu
Biganette-Evidente Shemeza
Giànna Sterling-Donaldson
Chantal Umutoni
Lyse Uwera
Madeleine Zeiler
Seth Feinberg
Publication date: 01-12-2021
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: BMC Health Services Research / Issue 1/2021
Electronic ISSN: 1472-6963
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-06282-x

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

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“… the way we welcome them is how we will lead them to love family planning.”: family planning providers in Rwanda foster compassionate relationships with clients despite workplace challenges

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

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