Pilot Study on Engaging Family Physicians in Family Planning in Pakistan

NCT05644886 | Unknown

• 1 other identifier: 1014
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 76
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study aims to generate evidence on the feasibility and effectiveness of engaging for-profit private sector family physicians and pharmacies to include family planning (FP) as a routine service in rural areas of Pakistan. The study will enlist family physicians and pharmacies in rural areas of Islamabad, Pakistan. Physicians will be randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. Those in intervention arm will received training on family planning and technical support for six months during the duration of the study, to evaluate the impact of training and support in expanding family planning coverage and impact.

Conditions

Contraceptive Usage; Contraception

Keywords

Family Planning; Pakistan; Family Physicians; Contraceptive; Pharmacies; Male

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Proportion of family physicians successfully providing family planning services to their clients

  the proportion of family physicians in the intervention arm compared to the control arm providing FP services to at least 10 per cent of their total clients during the intervention period.

  6-months

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• change in contraceptive uptake

  6-months

• change in number of FP clients

  6-months

Study Arms (2)

Intervention Arm

EXPERIMENTAL

Male Family Physicians allocated to intervention arm will receive following: Training and technical support and integrates them with the nearest pharmacies or drug shops for vertical referrals. Technical support will include: * Supportive supervision * Peer-to-peer support * Strengthening referrals for long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARC) and permanent methods * Provision of information, education, and communication (IEC) material and LCD for display of visual material. * Branding of clinics with name boards * Provision of family planning prescription booklets

Behavioral: FP Training and Technical Support

Control Arm

NO INTERVENTION

the providers in the control group will continue to provide their services as usual with no exposure to intervention activities. After the end of the intervention period, providers that fall into control areas will be provided the same training.

Interventions

FP Training and Technical Support BEHAVIORAL

Same as in Intervention arm description

Intervention Arm

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 22 Years - 70 Years
• Gender Eligibility Details: The study intends to engage male family physicians in family planning service provision in Pakistan. The gender identity is based on self-representation.
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Private clinics with a male family physician
• Male family physician working on a regular basis (3 or more days a week)
• Clinics located in Islamabad rural areas.

You may not qualify if:

• Clinics or facilities with specialized care (skin care, laser clinics, surgical clinics, among others)
• Clinics located in ICT urban areas
• Male family physicians working in a private clinic where a female medical doctor attends to patients during the same working hours.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Population Council: lead
• Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Population Council

Islamabad, Islamabad, 44050, Pakistan

RECRUITING

Related Publications (6)

• Federal and Provincial Task Force s, 2019, Action Plan (2019-24) for Implementation of Recommendations Approved by CCI Regarding Alarming Population Growth in Pakistan.

  BACKGROUND

• The Population Council. 2016. Landscape Analysis of Family Planning Situation in Pakistan: Brief Summary of Findings. Islamabad: The Population Council

  BACKGROUND

• Rehman Ashfaq and Malkani Anam. 2020. Best Bets for Accelerating Family Planning in Pakistan: The Case for Engaging Family Physicians and the for-Profit Private Sector. Islamabad: Population Research Center and the Population Council.

  BACKGROUND

• Khan, K., & Sathar, Z. (2020). Best Bets for Accelerating Family Planning in Pakistan: Inducting men, sharing responsibility

  BACKGROUND

• The Population Council. 2019. Improving Access to Family Planning Services through the Private Sector in Pakistan: A Stakeholder Analysis. Islamabad: The Population Council.

  BACKGROUND

• Bradley, S.E & Shiras, T. Pharmacies and Drug Shops. Expanding contraceptive Choice and access in the private sector. Family Planning High Impact Practices2021

  BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Contraception Behavior

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Reproductive Behavior; Behavior

Study Officials

• Ayaz Ahmed Baloch

  Population Council

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Manager Research

CONTACT

+92(051)9205566; abaloch@popcouncil.org

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Masking Details: Due to the nature of the intervention masking is not feasible
• Purpose: HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Program Manager Research

Model Details: The study uses a two arm parallel facility based randomized controlled trial with on-going intervention of training and technical support for six-month.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 1, 2022
• First Posted: December 9, 2022
• Study Start: November 21, 2022
• Primary Completion: June 30, 2023
• Study Completion: August 30, 2023
• Last Updated: December 13, 2022

Record last verified: 2022-12

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

PA (1)