USAID ASSIST Project Ukraine Country Report FY15

The work was funded by the USAID Europe and Eurasia Bureau. Alcohol and tobacco use in Ukraine are among the highest in the world, posing serious risks to the health and welfare of mothers and unborn babies. The intervention aimed to reduce alcohol and tobacco use among women during pregnancy, which has serious risks to the health and welfare of mothers and unborn babies. The project had two key objectives: secure at minimum 80% reduction in tobacco and alcohol use by pregnant women in selected facilities and secure at minimum 80% coverage of women of reproductive age (ages 15-49) with BPI and family planning counseling. Initially, the intervention was to be implemented in the Luhansk and Poltava oblasts, but due to the political situation in Ukraine, the work was ultimately only implemented in Poltava Oblast. Nine facilities located in five cities in Poltava Oblast were included in the intervention. A baseline assessment was conducted in Poltava Oblast in July and August 2014 to establish patterns of alcohol and tobacco use among a cohort of pregnant women seen for initial evaluation in the facilities before BPI was introduced (Cohort 1). Health care providers from the nine facilities were trained on BPI in August 2014, in a two-day training conducted jointly with the Oblast Health Care Department. From September 2014 to March 2015, ASSIST provided coaching support to each of the nine facilities for BPI implementation and convened one-day learning sessions in December 2014 and March 2015 to facilitate sharing of experiences and results among providers regarding BPI implementation. An end-line assessment was conducted among a different cohort of pregnant women (Cohort 2) seen for initial evaluation and followed up after the BPI intervention was introduced. To achieve the goal of reducing alcohol and tobacco use among women during pregnancy, ASSIST supported the Ministry of Health (MOH) in Ukraine and partners in developing a national protocol for health facilities to incorporate BPI into the routine practice of health care providers in the country. The draft national protocol is being finalized for approval by the MOH and includes recommendations on BPI, the process of BPI delivery, recording and reporting tools, job aids, and referral mechanisms to specialty care. The ASSIST activity in Ukraine closed out on June 30, 2015. The project aimed to develop a national protocol and training curriculum for the brief physician intervention, ensure 80% of pregnant women do not use tobacco or alcohol during pregnancy in selected facilities of Poltava oblast, and ensure 80% of women of reproductive age (15-49 years) are exposed to BPI and family planning counseling. The intervention was implemented in nine facilities located in five cities in Poltava Oblast, covering 80% of the women population of pilot cities. Health care providers from the nine facilities were trained on BPI, and coaching support was provided to each of the nine facilities for BPI implementation. Quality improvement (QI) teams were established to support the implementation of BPI and family planning counseling. The project aimed to improve alcohol and tobacco control during pregnancy, which has serious risks to the health and welfare of mothers and unborn babies. The project's objectives were to secure at minimum 80% reduction in tobacco and alcohol use by pregnant women in selected facilities and secure at minimum 80% coverage of women of reproductive age (ages 15-49) with BPI and family planning counseling. The intervention was implemented in Poltava Oblast, and the project supported the Ministry of Health (MOH) in Ukraine and partners in developing a national protocol for health facilities to incorporate BPI into the routine practice of health care providers in the country. The draft national protocol is being finalized for approval by the MOH and includes recommendations on BPI, the process of BPI delivery, recording and reporting tools, job aids, and referral mechanisms to specialty care. The ASSIST activity in Ukraine closed out on June 30, 2015. The project's objectives were to improve alcohol and tobacco control during pregnancy, which has serious risks to the health and welfare of mothers and unborn babies. The project's activities included developing a national protocol and training curriculum for the brief physician intervention, ensuring 80% of pregnant women do not use tobacco or alcohol during pregnancy in selected facilities of Poltava oblast, and ensuring 80% of women of reproductive age (15-49 years) are exposed to BPI and family planning counseling. The intervention was implemented in nine facilities located in five cities in Poltava Oblast, covering 80% of the women population of pilot cities. Health care providers from the nine facilities were trained on BPI, and coaching support was provided to each of the nine facilities for BPI implementation. Quality improvement (QI