A Needs Assessment of Family Planning Within a Ngöbe–Buglé Patient Population in Bocas Del Toro, Panama

BACKGROUND: The World Bank has characterized poverty among Panama’s largest indigenous population, the Ngöbe–Buglé, as “abysmal.” In addition, family size is significantly above and age of first conception significantly below the average for Panama. We conducted a Needs Assessment of Family Planning...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Longacre, Mckenna Mary
Format: Others
Language:en
Published: Harvard University 2017
Online Access:http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:32676115
id ndltd-harvard.edu-oai-dash.harvard.edu-1-32676115
record_format oai_dc
spelling ndltd-harvard.edu-oai-dash.harvard.edu-1-326761152017-07-27T15:52:38ZA Needs Assessment of Family Planning Within a Ngöbe–Buglé Patient Population in Bocas Del Toro, PanamaLongacre, Mckenna MaryBACKGROUND: The World Bank has characterized poverty among Panama’s largest indigenous population, the Ngöbe–Buglé, as “abysmal.” In addition, family size is significantly above and age of first conception significantly below the average for Panama. We conducted a Needs Assessment of Family Planning to better understand the preferences, barriers to access, and interplay with local culture and socioeconomic status within this population. METHODS: We conducted a mixed methods study among the indigenous patient population of a local NGO, Floating Doctors. 70 patients were interviewed using a quantitative survey based upon the DHS Individual Questionnaire. Data was analyzed for two primary outcomes: preferences for family planning and unmet need. In addition, 41 key informant interviews were conducted, with data organized around barriers to access, cultural preferences, and issues of human rights. RESULTS: Fifty three percent (33/62) of subjects met the DHS criteria for unmet need. Lack of money and access were identified as the most significant barriers to obtaining family planning. Key informant interviews suggested that young motherhood and large family size were significantly impacting issues of local health, education and socioeconomic status. CONCLUSION: This study reveals a profound unmet need for family planning resources. It also highlights the impact of this need on local education, socioeconomics, and public health. Finally, the data suggests that these disparities may be increasing due in part to complex economic shifts. Family planning may mark a clear starting point by which to empower Ngöbe–Buglé families to reclaim health, cultural, and economic stability.2017-05-15T17:53:24Z2017-052017-05-1220172017-05-15T17:53:24ZThesis or Dissertationtextapplication/pdfLongacre, Mckenna Mary. 2017. A Needs Assessment of Family Planning Within a Ngöbe–Buglé Patient Population in Bocas Del Toro, Panama. Doctoral dissertation, Harvard Medical School.http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:32676115enopenhttp://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:dash.current.terms-of-use#LAAHarvard University
collection NDLTD
language en
format Others
sources NDLTD
description BACKGROUND: The World Bank has characterized poverty among Panama’s largest indigenous population, the Ngöbe–Buglé, as “abysmal.” In addition, family size is significantly above and age of first conception significantly below the average for Panama. We conducted a Needs Assessment of Family Planning to better understand the preferences, barriers to access, and interplay with local culture and socioeconomic status within this population. METHODS: We conducted a mixed methods study among the indigenous patient population of a local NGO, Floating Doctors. 70 patients were interviewed using a quantitative survey based upon the DHS Individual Questionnaire. Data was analyzed for two primary outcomes: preferences for family planning and unmet need. In addition, 41 key informant interviews were conducted, with data organized around barriers to access, cultural preferences, and issues of human rights. RESULTS: Fifty three percent (33/62) of subjects met the DHS criteria for unmet need. Lack of money and access were identified as the most significant barriers to obtaining family planning. Key informant interviews suggested that young motherhood and large family size were significantly impacting issues of local health, education and socioeconomic status. CONCLUSION: This study reveals a profound unmet need for family planning resources. It also highlights the impact of this need on local education, socioeconomics, and public health. Finally, the data suggests that these disparities may be increasing due in part to complex economic shifts. Family planning may mark a clear starting point by which to empower Ngöbe–Buglé families to reclaim health, cultural, and economic stability.
author Longacre, Mckenna Mary
spellingShingle Longacre, Mckenna Mary
A Needs Assessment of Family Planning Within a Ngöbe–Buglé Patient Population in Bocas Del Toro, Panama
author_facet Longacre, Mckenna Mary
author_sort Longacre, Mckenna Mary
title A Needs Assessment of Family Planning Within a Ngöbe–Buglé Patient Population in Bocas Del Toro, Panama
title_short A Needs Assessment of Family Planning Within a Ngöbe–Buglé Patient Population in Bocas Del Toro, Panama
title_full A Needs Assessment of Family Planning Within a Ngöbe–Buglé Patient Population in Bocas Del Toro, Panama
title_fullStr A Needs Assessment of Family Planning Within a Ngöbe–Buglé Patient Population in Bocas Del Toro, Panama
title_full_unstemmed A Needs Assessment of Family Planning Within a Ngöbe–Buglé Patient Population in Bocas Del Toro, Panama
title_sort needs assessment of family planning within a ngöbe–buglé patient population in bocas del toro, panama
publisher Harvard University
publishDate 2017
url http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:32676115
work_keys_str_mv AT longacremckennamary aneedsassessmentoffamilyplanningwithinangobebuglepatientpopulationinbocasdeltoropanama
AT longacremckennamary needsassessmentoffamilyplanningwithinangobebuglepatientpopulationinbocasdeltoropanama
_version_ 1718507682804006912