Movement in District Health Systems in Preventive and Corrective Action against Unplanned Pregnancies in Adolescents: A Case Study of Ban Mo, Saraburi

Abstract

          The present study was conducted with the aim of examining the movement in District Health Systems (DHS) in Preventive and Corrective Action against Unplanned Adolescent Pregnancy in Ban Mo District, Saraburi Province, Thailand. According to the conceptual framework and the components of UC CARE in movements in DHS under the cooperative One District One Project (ODOP). Qualitative data was collected in the form of an After-Action Review. The instruments employed in the research included focus group discussion guidelines, in-depth interview guidelines, non-participant observations and informal conversation through content analysis. Data were collected from March-May 2017. The sample was recruited by purposive sampling from people who had participated in the activities for corrective and preventive action against unplanned adolescent pregnancy, conducted from 2014 to 2016. The sample was composed of: 1) primary people: one person responsible for coordinating the project work and two project resource persons for a total of three people; 2) a network team of ten people; 3) twenty adolescents who had passed sex education training programs; 4) ten advisory instructors who had passed training on adjusting attitudes about sex education methods and the development of advisory skills, and 5) ten parents/guardians of youths who had passed training in adjusting attitudes about sex education methods, for a total of 53 people. According to the findings, the participation of parties to the network outside public health agencies continued to be limited even though movement in DHS for prevention and solve the problem of unplanned pregnancy among adolescents in Ban Mo District was based on the components of UC CARE. In other words, despite working together at the Ban Mo District level where services were received as necessary with the participation of the network and community, and work performance benefits both service recipients and providers as well as shared resources and personnel development, participation was low. The participations were mainly in the form of working as resource persons and facilitators. Therefore, the findings of this study indicate a need to promote and push for improvements in cooperation from parties to networks outside public health agencies, including the development of a model for DHS performance in Ban Mo in preventive and corrective action in combating the problem of unplanned pregnancy among adolescents for future strength and sustainability.