Assessment Brief: Individual Counseling for Family Planning Clients

There is evidence suggesting that information and counseling offered to FP clients is not of the same standard throughout the country. As Angola continues to make significant progress in availability of FP services, improvements in the information and client counseling, as well as in other elements of quality of services, can be of great help to increase utilization of the services. This is particularly important for adolescents, given their high pregnancy rate and the large percentage of the population they constitute. Family planning counseling is an interpersonal exchange in which a health worker and a client engage in a dialogue about FP issues. The goal of FP counseling is that each client receives and understands the key information to be aware of the benefits of healthy timing and spacing of pregnancies (HTSP), make better choices about FP methods, use their method(s) correctly, know when and how to come for follow-up visits and obtain any necessary resupplies, and continue to use their methods for as long as they want to avoid pregnancy. It is essential to distinguish between proper counseling and information sessions or other activities in which health workers unidirectionally convey information to clients. Key characteristics of the interaction in a counseling session include a one-on-one exchange between the provider and one client (or couple), the provider interacts from a position of respect for the client, the health worker inquires and encourages the client to speak, the client has opportunities to ask questions and to express concerns and doubts, and the health worker answers the client's questions, addresses her/his concerns, and clarifies misunderstandings. Health workers with the responsibility of counseling FP clients need specific knowledge and skills that will enable the sharing of accurate, effective information relevant to the individual client's needs and preferences, positive and effective interpersonal communication, respect for the client's choice of method, support for the client to make decisions regarding contraceptive choices, and information about the importance and benefits of continued method use. Interpersonal communication skills necessary to establish good communication with clients include allowing the client's needs to guide the communication and discussion, listening, encouraging the client to speak, knowing how to ask questions, knowing how to give information, knowing how to answer the client's questions, encouraging the client's participation, avoiding interruptions, and responding according to the severity of the client's situation. Providing clients with correct and appropriate information can have many benefits for clients, providers, and programs, including increased client satisfaction, improved method adoption, and longer method use.