CERCA, Community-embedded reproductive health care for adolescents in Latin America | ICRH

TEAM MEMBERS 

PERIOD 

PARTNERS

• ·South Group, Bolivia
• ·University of Cuenca, Ecuador
• ·Kaunas University of Medicine, Lithuania
• ·University of Amsterdam, Netherlands
• ·National Autonomous University of Nicaragua, Nicaragua
• ·Instituto Centro Americano de la Salud, Nicaragua

OBJECTIVES

Main objectives

• ·To contribute to the global knowledge about how health systems could be more responsive to the sexual and reproductive health needs of adolescents.
• ·Development of a comprehensive framework for community-embedded interventions targeted at improved access to quality primary health services, a supporting and enabling environment, and strengthened competence to make reproductive health choices.

Specific objectives

• ·To assess the sexual and reproductive health needs of adolescents in the three Latin American partner countries (Bolivia, Nicaragua and Ecuador);
• ·To develop a comprehensive strategy of interventions targeted at enhanced access to adolescent-friendly reproductive care in primary health services
• ·To develop an approach to reach adolescents for awareness raising activities and for survey purposes through the use of media (internet and text messages);
• ·To implement and monitor the strategy of interventions and to perform an impact evaluation of the developed intervention strategy;
• ·To develop a strategy to bridge the gap between research and policy by involving policy and decision makers actively in the research process;

METHODS

• ·Community-based participatory action research
• ·Qualitative research: participant observation ethnographic fieldwork in Bolivia, Ecuador and Nicaragua
• ·Quantitative research: surveys and review of literature and politics (to define sexual and reproductive health determinant for adolescents)
• ·Use of media (internet and text messages)  

ACTIVITIES

• ·Study of literature and politics in Bolivia, Ecuador and Nicaragua
• ·Fieldwork and analysis
• ·Setting up 4 Community Advisory Boards (Bolivia, Ecuador, Nicaragua and Belgium)
• ·Develop, implement and evaluate an intervention strategy
• ·Getting politicians involved
• ·Awareness raising and dissemination of research results

EXPECTED RESULTS

• ·Contribute to the global knowledge about how health systems could be more responsive to the sexual and reproductive health needs of adolescents.
• ·Improving access for adolescents to quality primary health services, a supporting and enabling environment, and strengthened competence to make reproductive health choices.
• ·a strategy to bridge the gap between research and policy
• ·Establishment of 4 Community Advisory Boards (Bolivia, Ecuador, Nicaragua and Belgium)
• ·An international conference
• ·Publications: Scientific articles and policy documents