Barbara Mensch
Biographic Data
| ID | 3811488 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Barbara Mensch |
| GIVEN NAMES | Barbara |
| FAMILY NAME | Mensch |
| SIGNATURE | MENSCH B |
| AFFILIATIONS | The Population Council, 1 Dag Hammarskold Plaza, New York, NY 10017 |
| VERIFIED | No |
| TOTAL WORKS | 19 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 115 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 19 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1986 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2017 |
| H-INDEX | 7 |
Achieving the Optimal Vaginal State: Using Vaginal Products and Study Gels in Uganda, Zimbabwe, and South Africa
Preferences and practices related to the vaginal condition have implications for the use of vaginal HIV prevention products. We used qualitative methods to explore narratives relating to the vaginal state amongst women in South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe who had previously participated in a biomedical HIV prevention trial. We investigated women's behaviours related to optimising the vaginal state, experiences and perceptions of the gel's effect …
How Presentation of Drug Detection Results Changed Reports of Product Adherence in South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe
Sexual scripting of heterosexual penile-anal intercourse amongst participants in an HIV prevention trial in South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe
Sexual risk-taking is influenced by individual, interpersonal and social factors. This paper presents findings from a qualitative follow-up study to a clinical trial evaluating biomedical HIV prevention products among African women, explored participants' perceptions and experiences of heterosexual penile-anal intercourse, as well as the gendered power dynamics and relationship contexts in which this sexual behaviour occurs. In-depth interviews w…
Condoms, Lubricants and Rectal Cleansing: Practices Associated with Heterosexual Penile-Anal Intercourse Amongst Participants in an HIV Prevention Trial in South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe
Lost in Translation: Language, Terminology, and Understanding of Penile–Anal Intercourse in an HIV Prevention Trial in South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe
Despite efforts to use culturally appropriate, understandable terms for sexual behavior in HIV prevention trials, the way in which participants interpret questions is underinvestigated and not well understood. We present findings from qualitative interviews with 88 women in South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe who had previously participated in an HIV prevention trial. Findings suggested that participants may have misinterpreted questions pertainin…
Trends in the timing of first marriage among men and women in the developing world
The timing of first union merits investigation not only because of the close temporal link between marriage and the onset of childbearing, but also because the age when men and women marry has implications for the organization of family life and for gender relations within society. This paper begins by reviewing the contributions of various social science disciplines to an understanding of the timing of marriage. Using current status data from 73…
The Power and Limits of NGOs: A Critical Look at Building Democracy in Eastern Europe and Eurasia
Since the end of the Cold War, a virtual army of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) from the United States, Britain, Germany, and elsewhere in Europe have flocked to Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia. These NGOs are working on such diverse tasks as helping to establish competitive political parties, elections, and independent media, as well as trying to reduce ethnic conflict. This important book is among the few efforts to assess the impa…
The Uncharted Passage: Girls' Adolescence in the Developing World
Adolescence is a formative time of transition to adulthood. What happens between the ages of 10 and 19 shapes how girls and boys live out their lives as women and men—not only in the reproductive arena, but in the social and economic realm as well. Yet, despite its impact on human development, adolescence has been sidelined as a research and policy subject in developing countries. While all adolescents deserve our attention, the needs of adolesce…
Comparing the Peru Service Availability Module and Situation Analysis
This report reviews the experience of the World Fertility Surveys and the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) in collecting community-level data on family planning. It assesses the validity of the community data for Peru that were collected via a service availability module, much like that which is used for the DHS, through a comparison with data from the Situation Analysis. The analysis indicates that the knowledgeable informant, the main sourc…
The Impact of the Quality of Family Planning Services on Contraceptive Use in Peru
Barbara Mensch, Mary Arends-Kuenning, Anrudh Jain, The Impact of the Quality of Family Planning Services on Contraceptive Use in Peru, Studies in Family Planning, Vol. 27, No. 2 (Mar. - Apr., 1996), pp. 59-75
The Reliability of the Situation Analysis Observation Guide
The use of direct observation to assess the quality of family planning services is a central element of situation analysis studies. The interrater reliability of observational data from a study in Turkey was assessed using teams of multiple observers. Overall, the findings suggest a strong degree of reliability. Observers were more likely to agree when rating physical actions than verbal cues and when both observers were of similar backgrounds. T…
Survey Questions for the Measurement of Induced Abortion
Using Situation Analysis Data to Assess the Functioning of Family Planning Clinics in Nigeria, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe
Situation analyses conducted in Nigeria. Tanzania, and Zimbabwe have revealed problems in the functioning of many of the subsystems of family planning service delivery, namely in supplies of commodities; in facilities and equipment; in staffing and training; in information, education, and communication; and in record keeping. Although a clear pattern of clinic use exists, in that only a few service-delivery points provide contraceptive services t…
Indicators for Measuring the Quality of Family Planning Services in Nigeria
This article presents the Situation Analysis approach as a means of collecting data that can be used to assess the quality of care provided by family planning service-delivery points (SDPs), and describes the quality of services offered in Nigeria. Elements of the quality of services provided at 181 clinical service-delivery points in six states of Nigeria are described. The substantive results from the study suggest that although most of the 181…
A New Approach to Eliciting Information about Induced Abortion
Reliable quantitative data on abortion are sorely needed, particularly in developing countries. Past experience in large-scale survey research has demonstrated that direct questioning on this subject results in significant underreporting. This article presents results of an experiment to collect data on induced abortion in Côte d'Ivoire within the context of a family planning operations research study. First, questions were employed to broach the…
Drug use as a risk factor for premarital teen pregnancy and abortion in a National Sample of Young White Women
The relationship between adolescent drug use and premarital teen pregnancy and abortion as a pregnancy outcome among sexually active women is investigated in a sample of white women from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. Event history analysis is used to explore whether prior drug use has a unique effect on premarital teen pregnancy, with controls for personality, lifestyle, and biological factors. Logistic regression is used to estimate…
Setting Standards of Quality in Family Planning Programs
The Population Council continues to resist setting quality of care standards for family planning programs. It contends that professionals responsible for each family planning program must define intended and achievable levels of care. The Population Council does claim, however, that a high quality program is client-oriented and assists clients in reaching their reproductive goals. Even though a high quality program would reduce fertility by incre…
Rethinking Postpartum Family Planning
This article examines the rationales for commonly advocated postpartum family planning services and challenges the behavioral and biological assumptions on which they are based. An alternative approach to service delivery is suggested. Services should be designed to incorporate breastfeeding and to increase their acceptability to postpartum women
Age differences between spouses in first marriages
Absract Vital statistics data indicate that the age difference between spouses in first marriages has narrowed for those born between 1931 and 1951 and married by age 25. It appears that the largest declines have occurred at the older ages of marriage, although there have been reductions at all ages. The possibility that the narrowing of the age gap can be attributed to the recent “marriage squeeze” is examined using data from the 1976 National S…
Trends in the timing of first marriage among men and women in the developing world
The timing of first union merits investigation not only because of the close temporal link between marriage and the onset of childbearing, but also because the age when men and women marry has implications for the organization of family life and for gender relations within society. This paper begins by reviewing the contributions of various social science disciplines to an understanding of the timing of marriage. Using current status data from 73…
The Impact of the Quality of Family Planning Services on Contraceptive Use in Peru
Barbara Mensch, Mary Arends-Kuenning, Anrudh Jain, The Impact of the Quality of Family Planning Services on Contraceptive Use in Peru, Studies in Family Planning, Vol. 27, No. 2 (Mar. - Apr., 1996), pp. 59-75
Survey Questions for the Measurement of Induced Abortion
A New Approach to Eliciting Information about Induced Abortion
Reliable quantitative data on abortion are sorely needed, particularly in developing countries. Past experience in large-scale survey research has demonstrated that direct questioning on this subject results in significant underreporting. This article presents results of an experiment to collect data on induced abortion in Côte d'Ivoire within the context of a family planning operations research study. First, questions were employed to broach the…
Using Situation Analysis Data to Assess the Functioning of Family Planning Clinics in Nigeria, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe
Situation analyses conducted in Nigeria. Tanzania, and Zimbabwe have revealed problems in the functioning of many of the subsystems of family planning service delivery, namely in supplies of commodities; in facilities and equipment; in staffing and training; in information, education, and communication; and in record keeping. Although a clear pattern of clinic use exists, in that only a few service-delivery points provide contraceptive services t…
Indicators for Measuring the Quality of Family Planning Services in Nigeria
This article presents the Situation Analysis approach as a means of collecting data that can be used to assess the quality of care provided by family planning service-delivery points (SDPs), and describes the quality of services offered in Nigeria. Elements of the quality of services provided at 181 clinical service-delivery points in six states of Nigeria are described. The substantive results from the study suggest that although most of the 181…
Setting Standards of Quality in Family Planning Programs
The Population Council continues to resist setting quality of care standards for family planning programs. It contends that professionals responsible for each family planning program must define intended and achievable levels of care. The Population Council does claim, however, that a high quality program is client-oriented and assists clients in reaching their reproductive goals. Even though a high quality program would reduce fertility by incre…
Drug use as a risk factor for premarital teen pregnancy and abortion in a National Sample of Young White Women
The relationship between adolescent drug use and premarital teen pregnancy and abortion as a pregnancy outcome among sexually active women is investigated in a sample of white women from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. Event history analysis is used to explore whether prior drug use has a unique effect on premarital teen pregnancy, with controls for personality, lifestyle, and biological factors. Logistic regression is used to estimate…
Rethinking Postpartum Family Planning
This article examines the rationales for commonly advocated postpartum family planning services and challenges the behavioral and biological assumptions on which they are based. An alternative approach to service delivery is suggested. Services should be designed to incorporate breastfeeding and to increase their acceptability to postpartum women
Lost in Translation: Language, Terminology, and Understanding of Penile–Anal Intercourse in an HIV Prevention Trial in South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe
Despite efforts to use culturally appropriate, understandable terms for sexual behavior in HIV prevention trials, the way in which participants interpret questions is underinvestigated and not well understood. We present findings from qualitative interviews with 88 women in South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe who had previously participated in an HIV prevention trial. Findings suggested that participants may have misinterpreted questions pertainin…
The Reliability of the Situation Analysis Observation Guide
The use of direct observation to assess the quality of family planning services is a central element of situation analysis studies. The interrater reliability of observational data from a study in Turkey was assessed using teams of multiple observers. Overall, the findings suggest a strong degree of reliability. Observers were more likely to agree when rating physical actions than verbal cues and when both observers were of similar backgrounds. T…
Age differences between spouses in first marriages
Absract Vital statistics data indicate that the age difference between spouses in first marriages has narrowed for those born between 1931 and 1951 and married by age 25. It appears that the largest declines have occurred at the older ages of marriage, although there have been reductions at all ages. The possibility that the narrowing of the age gap can be attributed to the recent “marriage squeeze” is examined using data from the 1976 National S…
Rethinking Postpartum Family Planning
This article examines the rationales for commonly advocated postpartum family planning services and challenges the behavioral and biological assumptions on which they are based. An alternative approach to service delivery is suggested. Services should be designed to incorporate breastfeeding and to increase their acceptability to postpartum women
Drug use as a risk factor for premarital teen pregnancy and abortion in a National Sample of Young White Women
The relationship between adolescent drug use and premarital teen pregnancy and abortion as a pregnancy outcome among sexually active women is investigated in a sample of white women from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. Event history analysis is used to explore whether prior drug use has a unique effect on premarital teen pregnancy, with controls for personality, lifestyle, and biological factors. Logistic regression is used to estimate…
Setting Standards of Quality in Family Planning Programs
The Population Council continues to resist setting quality of care standards for family planning programs. It contends that professionals responsible for each family planning program must define intended and achievable levels of care. The Population Council does claim, however, that a high quality program is client-oriented and assists clients in reaching their reproductive goals. Even though a high quality program would reduce fertility by incre…
A New Approach to Eliciting Information about Induced Abortion
Reliable quantitative data on abortion are sorely needed, particularly in developing countries. Past experience in large-scale survey research has demonstrated that direct questioning on this subject results in significant underreporting. This article presents results of an experiment to collect data on induced abortion in Côte d'Ivoire within the context of a family planning operations research study. First, questions were employed to broach the…
Using Situation Analysis Data to Assess the Functioning of Family Planning Clinics in Nigeria, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe
Situation analyses conducted in Nigeria. Tanzania, and Zimbabwe have revealed problems in the functioning of many of the subsystems of family planning service delivery, namely in supplies of commodities; in facilities and equipment; in staffing and training; in information, education, and communication; and in record keeping. Although a clear pattern of clinic use exists, in that only a few service-delivery points provide contraceptive services t…
Indicators for Measuring the Quality of Family Planning Services in Nigeria
This article presents the Situation Analysis approach as a means of collecting data that can be used to assess the quality of care provided by family planning service-delivery points (SDPs), and describes the quality of services offered in Nigeria. Elements of the quality of services provided at 181 clinical service-delivery points in six states of Nigeria are described. The substantive results from the study suggest that although most of the 181…
Comparing the Peru Service Availability Module and Situation Analysis
This report reviews the experience of the World Fertility Surveys and the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) in collecting community-level data on family planning. It assesses the validity of the community data for Peru that were collected via a service availability module, much like that which is used for the DHS, through a comparison with data from the Situation Analysis. The analysis indicates that the knowledgeable informant, the main sourc…
The Impact of the Quality of Family Planning Services on Contraceptive Use in Peru
Barbara Mensch, Mary Arends-Kuenning, Anrudh Jain, The Impact of the Quality of Family Planning Services on Contraceptive Use in Peru, Studies in Family Planning, Vol. 27, No. 2 (Mar. - Apr., 1996), pp. 59-75
The Reliability of the Situation Analysis Observation Guide
The use of direct observation to assess the quality of family planning services is a central element of situation analysis studies. The interrater reliability of observational data from a study in Turkey was assessed using teams of multiple observers. Overall, the findings suggest a strong degree of reliability. Observers were more likely to agree when rating physical actions than verbal cues and when both observers were of similar backgrounds. T…
Survey Questions for the Measurement of Induced Abortion
The Uncharted Passage: Girls' Adolescence in the Developing World
Adolescence is a formative time of transition to adulthood. What happens between the ages of 10 and 19 shapes how girls and boys live out their lives as women and men—not only in the reproductive arena, but in the social and economic realm as well. Yet, despite its impact on human development, adolescence has been sidelined as a research and policy subject in developing countries. While all adolescents deserve our attention, the needs of adolesce…
The Power and Limits of NGOs: A Critical Look at Building Democracy in Eastern Europe and Eurasia
Since the end of the Cold War, a virtual army of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) from the United States, Britain, Germany, and elsewhere in Europe have flocked to Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia. These NGOs are working on such diverse tasks as helping to establish competitive political parties, elections, and independent media, as well as trying to reduce ethnic conflict. This important book is among the few efforts to assess the impa…
Trends in the timing of first marriage among men and women in the developing world
The timing of first union merits investigation not only because of the close temporal link between marriage and the onset of childbearing, but also because the age when men and women marry has implications for the organization of family life and for gender relations within society. This paper begins by reviewing the contributions of various social science disciplines to an understanding of the timing of marriage. Using current status data from 73…
Condoms, Lubricants and Rectal Cleansing: Practices Associated with Heterosexual Penile-Anal Intercourse Amongst Participants in an HIV Prevention Trial in South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe
Lost in Translation: Language, Terminology, and Understanding of Penile–Anal Intercourse in an HIV Prevention Trial in South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe
Despite efforts to use culturally appropriate, understandable terms for sexual behavior in HIV prevention trials, the way in which participants interpret questions is underinvestigated and not well understood. We present findings from qualitative interviews with 88 women in South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe who had previously participated in an HIV prevention trial. Findings suggested that participants may have misinterpreted questions pertainin…
Sexual scripting of heterosexual penile-anal intercourse amongst participants in an HIV prevention trial in South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe
Sexual risk-taking is influenced by individual, interpersonal and social factors. This paper presents findings from a qualitative follow-up study to a clinical trial evaluating biomedical HIV prevention products among African women, explored participants' perceptions and experiences of heterosexual penile-anal intercourse, as well as the gendered power dynamics and relationship contexts in which this sexual behaviour occurs. In-depth interviews w…
Achieving the Optimal Vaginal State: Using Vaginal Products and Study Gels in Uganda, Zimbabwe, and South Africa
Preferences and practices related to the vaginal condition have implications for the use of vaginal HIV prevention products. We used qualitative methods to explore narratives relating to the vaginal state amongst women in South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe who had previously participated in a biomedical HIV prevention trial. We investigated women's behaviours related to optimising the vaginal state, experiences and perceptions of the gel's effect …
How Presentation of Drug Detection Results Changed Reports of Product Adherence in South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe
Medicine (15 works) · Population (15 works) · Environmental health (13 works) · Psychology (11 works) · Family medicine (10 works) · Sociology (10 works) · Family planning (9 works) · Global Maternal and Child Health (8 works) · Geography (7 works) · Research methodology (7 works)