WHO Tiered-Effectiveness Counseling Is Rights-Based Family Planning.

Contraceptive effectiveness is the leading characteristic for most women when choosing a method, but they often are not well informed about effectiveness of methods. Because of the serious consequences of “misinformed choice,” counseling should proactively discuss the most effective methods—long-acting reversible contraceptives and permanent methods—using the WHO tiered-effectiveness model.

Combination HIV prevention for female sex workers: what is the evidence?

Sex work occurs in many forms and sex workers of all genders have been affected by HIV epidemics worldwide. The determinants of HIV risk associated with sex work occur at several levels, including individual biological and behavioural, dyadic and network, and community and social environmental levels. Evidence indicates that effective HIV prevention packages for sex workers should include combinations of biomedical, behavioural, and structural interventions tailored to local contexts, and be led and implemented by sex worker communities.

Family planning since ICPD--how far have we progressed?

The 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) was a pivotal global event. It established voluntary family planning as a fundamental human right. We describe the progress made and challenges faced by the family planning field in the 20 years since ICPD.

Integration of family planning into HIV services: a synthesis of recent evidence.

Introduction: Increasing access to contraception among women who enter the health system for HIV care is crucial to help them achieve their fertility intentions and reduce vertical transmission of HIV. Identifying intervention strategies that contribute to effective family planning/HIV service integration and synthesizing lessons for future integration programming and research is important to move the field forward.

Methods: Using a standard review methodology, we searched for articles in the peer-reviewed literature published between January 2008 and August 2013 that addressed the integration of family planning interventions into HIV service settings.

Invited commentary: consequential(ist) epidemiology: let's seize the day.

Now is the time for the science of epidemiology to embrace its pragmatic roots. The article by Galea in this issue of the Journal (Am J Epidemiol. 2013;178(8):1185-1191) calls for us to become more "consequentialist.

The role of family planning in elimination of new pediatric HIV infection.

Purpose Of Review: We reviewed recent literature on the role of family planning in eliminating new pediatric HIV infections.

Recent Findings: Global commitments to eliminate new pediatric HIV infections recognize that preventing unintended pregnancies among women with HIV is essential to achieving this goal. However, substantial shortcomings exist in translating this policy support into widespread practice.

Coverage, context and targeted prevention: optimising our impact.

Development of efficacious interventions is only the first step in achieving population level impact. Efficacious interventions impact infection levels in the population only if they are implemented at the right scale. Coverage must be prioritised across subpopulations based on the diversity and clustering of infections and risk in society, and expanded rapidly without delay.

Abortion policy and science: can controversy and evidence co-exist?

Abortion policies should be based on evidence. Over the past four decades in the United States, we have accumulated more data about the practice of legal abortion than any other surgical procedure. This evidence has documented the public health impact of increased access to safer abortion.

Defining and assessing evidence for the effectiveness of technical assistance in furthering global health.

In an era when health resources are increasingly constrained, international organisations are transitioning from directly managing health services to providing technical assistance (TA) to in-country owners of public health programmes. We define TA as: 'A dynamic, capacity-building process for designing or improving the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of specific programmes, research, services, products, or systems'. TA can build sustainable capacities, strengthen health systems and support country ownership.

Condom use: still a sexual health staple.

This article introduces and summarizes the contents of this special edition. Given the exceptional potential of condoms to avert epidemics of sexually transmitted infections and teen or unintended pregnancy - even in low-resource environments - this in-depth examination of current knowledge, practice, and issues with condoms and their use is an important asset for educators and practitioners worldwide.

Interventions to prevent sexually transmitted infections, including HIV infection.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Treatment Guidelines were last updated in 2006. To update the "Clinical Guide to Prevention Services" section of the 2010 CDC STD Treatment Guidelines, we reviewed the recent science with reference to interventions designed to prevent acquisition of STDs, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Major interval developments include (1) licensure and uptake of immunization against genital human papillomavirus, (2) validation of male circumcision as a potent prevention tool against acquisition of HIV and some other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), (3) failure of a promising HIV vaccine candidate to afford protection against HIV acquisition, (4) encouragement about the use of antiretroviral agents as preexposure prophylaxis to reduce risk of HIV and herpes simplex virus acquisition, (5) enhanced emphasis on expedited partner management and rescreening for persons infected with Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, (6) recognition that behavioral interventions will be needed to address a new trend of sexually transmitted hepatitis C among men who have sex with men, and (7) the availability of a modified female condom.