Integrating family planning and mental health services into postnatal care for migrant, refugee and underserved Jordanian women

 

This project will address two significant concerns among vulnerable women in Jordan: the underutilization of family planning (FP) services and the alarmingly high rates of postnatal mental health (MH) conditions. The postnatal period is characterized by heightened vulnerability to both psychological and physiological illnesses among women.

The project will integrate FP and MH interventions into existing immunization and postnatal care services to enhance the mental and reproductive health of migrant, refugee and underserved women in Jordan. It will identify and prioritize high-impact FP and MH interventions and assess the current state of MH services for postnatal women. Based on the findings, integrated FP and MH interventions will be co-designed and developed in collaboration with stakeholders. Health-care providers and community health workers will receive training in providing integrated FP and MH services. A randomized trial design will then be used to assess the feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness of the integrated interventions.

The project intends to increase awareness, knowledge and self-efficacy regarding FP methods and MH services; improve availability, demand for and access to FP and MH services; increase social support for postnatal FP and MH service use; and improve gender equality. The aim is to reduce the number of unwanted and unplanned pregnancies and improve the mental wellbeing of women in Jordan.

This project is part of a second cohort of research projects on the understudied area of the interface between sexual and reproductive health and rights and mental health.