Multicountry research on comprehensive abortion policy implementation in Latin America: a mixed-methods study protocol.

Introduction: Access to comprehensive abortion care could prevent the death of between 13 865 and 38 940 women and the associated morbidity of 5 million women worldwide. There have been some important improvements in Latin America in terms of laws and policies on abortion. However, the predominant environment is still restrictive, and many women, adolescents and girls still face multiple barriers to exercise their reproductive rights.

Step by Step in Argentina: Putting Abortion Rights into Practice.

In December of 2020, the Argentine Congress legalized abortion through 14 weeks, vastly increasing access to abortion care in the country. The law's passage followed years of advocacy for abortion rights in Argentina - including mass public and civil society mobilization, vocal support from an established pool of abortion providers who offered abortion services under specific legal exceptions prior to the new law, and the growth of community groups such as the Socorristas en Red who provide support for people to self-manage abortions. Aided by ample political will, the number of health facilities offering services increased substantially after the law was passed, and the public visibility around the law has helped assure people seeking abortion that it is their right.

[Barriers in access to legal abortion in the public health system in two Argentine jurisdictions: Rosario and Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, 2019-2020].

In recent decades, decisive events shaping the political and social context surrounding abortion in Argentina culminated in the passing of the Voluntary Termination of Pregnancy (IVE in Spanish) Law in December 2020. The objective of this article is to explore the main barriers to accessing legal abortions in the public health system faced by women during 2019 and 2020 in two Argentine jurisdictions, Rosario and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires. Based on an adaptation of the "three phases of delay" framework, surveys and semi-structured interviews with 117 women were conducted.

Caesarean birth in public maternities in Argentina: a formative research study on the views of obstetricians, midwives and trainees.

Objectives: To explore obstetricians', midwives' and trainees' perceptions of caesarean section (CS) determinants in the context of public obstetric care services provision in Argentina. Our hypothesis is that known determinants of CS use may differ in settings with limited access to essential obstetric services.

Setting: We conducted a formative research study in 19 public maternity hospitals in Argentina.

Health Care Provider Perceptions of Facilitators and Barriers to Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Delivery in Five Countries.

Background: National human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programs could reduce global cervical cancer morbidity and mortality with support from health care providers. We assessed providers' perceptions of HPV vaccination in 5 countries.

Methods: We identified providers from 5 countries where national HPV vaccination programs were at various stages of implementation: Argentina, Malaysia, South Africa, South Korea, and Spain.

Optimizing the use of cesarean section in Argentina: design and methodology of a formative research for the development of interventions.

Background: While cesarean section is an essential life-saving strategy for women and newborns, its current overuse constitutes a global problem. The aim of this formative research is to collect information from hospitals, health professionals and women regarding the use of cesarean section in Argentina. This article describes the methodology of the study, the characteristics of the hospitals and the profile of the participants.

[Concerns and demands regarding COVID-19. Survey of health personnel].

The COVID-19 pandemic affected the organization of health services and had consequences for health teams, according to the pre-existing safety and working conditions. During the first week of April 2020, a cross sectional study was carried out with a qualitative-quantitative approach. The aim was to explore the conditions determining the organizational climate: leadership, communication, institutional resources, cohesion/conflict management, and training; and how these were perceived by health personnel to deal with the pandemic.

Persuasive messaging for human papillomavirus vaccination by adolescent providers in a five-country multi-site study.

Objective: Strong persuasive messaging by providers is a key predictor for patient acceptance of prophylactic human papillomavirus vaccination. We aimed to determine optimal messaging to promote human papillomavirus adolescent vaccination across different geographical sites.

Methods: Adolescent providers (n = 151) from Argentina, Malaysia, South Africa, South Korea, and Spain were surveyed on messages, family decision makers, and sources of communication to best motivate parents to vaccinate their adolescent daughters overall, and against human papillomavirus.

Adolescent providers' knowledge of human papillomavirus vaccination age guidelines in five countries.

: To examine provider knowledge of HPV vaccination age guidelines in five countries. : A total of 151 providers of adolescent vaccinations in Argentina, Malaysia, South Africa, South Korea, and Spain were interviewed between October 2013 and April 2014. Univariate analyses compared providers' understanding of recommended age groups for HPV vaccination to that of each country's national guidelines.

Acceptability of two- versus three-dose human papillomavirus vaccination schedule among providers and mothers of adolescent girls: a mixed-methods study in five countries.

Purpose: The World Health Organization revised its human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination recommendations to include a two (2-) dose schedule for girls aged ≤ 15 years. We investigated acceptability of 2- versus 3-dose schedule among adolescent vaccination providers and mothers of adolescent girls in five countries.

Methods: Adolescent vaccination providers (N = 151) and mothers of adolescent girls aged 9-14 years (N = 118) were recruited from Argentina, Malaysia, South Africa, South Korea, and Spain.

HPV Vaccination Recommendation Practices among Adolescent Health Care Providers in 5 Countries.

Study Objective: To assess adolescent health care providers' recommendations for, and attitudes towards human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in 5 countries.

Design: In-depth interviews of adolescent health care providers, 2013-2014.

Setting: Five countries where HPV vaccination is at various stages of implementation into national programs: Argentina, Malaysia, South Africa, South Korea, and Spain.

Acceptability of multipurpose human papillomavirus vaccines among providers and mothers of adolescent girls: A mixed-methods study in five countries.

Introduction: Multipurpose vaccines (MPVs) could be formulated to prevent multiple sexually transmitted infections simultaneously. Little is known about acceptability of MPVs among vaccine health care providers (HCPs) or mothers of adolescent girls.

Methods: 151 adolescent vaccine providers and 118 mothers of adolescent girls aged 9-14 were recruited from five geographically-diverse countries: Argentina, Malaysia, South Africa, South Korea, and Spain.

[Regionalization of perinatal health care in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina].

Objective: Improve the performance of the regionalization policy in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina, as a strategy to improve perinatal health care by analyzing implementation processes and building consensus among decision makers and stakeholders around an action plan.

Methods: Implementation research was conducted using mixed methodology. A needs assessment established tracer indicators to measure adherence to the components of the policy.

HPV testing: a mixed-method approach to understand why women prefer self-collection in a middle-income country.

Background: HPV test self-collection has been shown to reduce barriers to cervical screening and increase uptake. However, little is known about women's preferences when given the choice between self-collected and clinician-collected tests. This paper aims to describe experiences with HPV self-collection among women in Jujuy, the first Argentinean province to have introduced HPV testing as the primary screening method, provided free of cost in all public health centers.

Safe and family-centered maternity hospitals: organizational culture of maternity hospitals in the province of Buenos Aires.

Introduction: In 2010, the Safe and Family-Centered Maternity Hospitals initiative was launched in order to transform large public maternity centers into settings where safe practices are implemented and the rights of women, newborn infants and families are warranted. As a result, the paradigm of perinatal care was modified. This article reports on the findings of organizational culture as a component for the implementation of the initiative.

Social determinants of nonadherence to tuberculosis treatment in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

This study aimed to identify the individual and environmental determinants of nonadherence to tuberculosis (TB) treatment in selected districts in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area, in Argentina. We conducted a cross-sectional study using a hierarchical model. Using primary and secondary data, logistic regression was performed to analyze two types of determinants.

Spatial analysis of the tuberculosis treatment dropout, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

OBJECTIVE Identify spatial distribution patterns of the proportion of nonadherence to tuberculosis treatment and its associated factors. METHODS We conducted an ecological study based on secondary and primary data from municipalities of the metropolitan area of Buenos Aires, Argentina. An exploratory analysis of the characteristics of the area and the distributions of the cases included in the sample (proportion of nonadherence) was also carried out along with a multifactor analysis by linear regression.

Determinants of non adherence to tuberculosis treatment in Argentina: barriers related to access to treatment.

Objective: To identify the association between non-adherence to tuberculosis treatment and access to treatment.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires, Argentina. One hundred twenty three patients notified in 2007 (38 non adherent and 85 adherents) were interviewed regarding the health care process and socio-demographic characteristics.

Women's experiences with the use of medical abortion in a legally restricted context: the case of Argentina.

This article presents the findings of a qualitative study exploring the experiences of women living in Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area, Argentina, with the use of misoprostol for inducing an abortion. We asked women about the range of decisions they had to make, their emotions, the physical experience, strategies they needed to use, including seeking health care advice and in dealing with a clandestine medical abortion, and their overall evaluation of the experience. An in-depth interview schedule was used.

Health care providers' opinions on abortion: a study for the implementation of the legal abortion public policy in the Province of Santa Fe, Argentina.

Background: In Argentina, abortion has been decriminalized under certain circumstances since the enactment of the Penal Code in 1922. Nevertheless, access to abortion under this regulatory framework has been extremely limited in spite of some recent changes. This article reports the findings of the first phase of an operations research study conducted in the Province of Santa Fe, Argentina, regarding the implementation of the local legal and safe abortion access policy.

Omega-3 fatty acids for the prevention of recurrent symptomatic atrial fibrillation: results of the FORWARD (Randomized Trial to Assess Efficacy of PUFA for the Maintenance of Sinus Rhythm in Persistent Atrial Fibrillation) trial.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) for the prevention of recurrent atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with normal sinus rhythm.

Background: Current pharmacological treatments to limit recurrent AF in patients with previous AF have limited efficacy and high rates of adverse events. Results of trials that tested the efficacy of n-3 PUFA provided heterogeneous results.

Latin American women's experiences with medical abortion in settings where abortion is legally restricted.

Abortion is legally restricted in most of Latin America where 95% of the 4.4 million abortions performed annually are unsafe. Medical abortion (MA) refers to the use of a drug or a combination of drugs to terminate pregnancy.

Social inequality in Pap smear coverage: identifying under-users of cervical cancer screening in Argentina.

In Argentina, the unequal distribution of the burden of cervical cancer is striking: the mortality rate of the province of Jujuy (15/100,000) is almost four times higher than that of the city of Buenos Aires (4/100,000). We aimed to establish the socio-demographic profile of women who were under-users of Pap smear screening, based on an analysis of a representative sample of Argentinean women from the First National Survey on Risk Factors in 2005. We found that in Argentina, women who are poor, unmarried, unemployed or inactive, with lower levels of education and reduced access to health care, and women over the age of 65, were under-users of screening.