Lessons learnt from the CERCA Project, a multicomponent intervention to promote adolescent sexual and reproductive health in three Latin America countries: a qualitative post-hoc evaluation.

Authors

Olena Ivanova, Ghent University
Kathya Cordova Pozo, South Group, C. Ecuador O-138, Edificio Holanda
Zoyla Esmeralda Segura, Instituto CentroAmericano de Salud (ICAS)
Bernardo Vega, University of Cuenca
Venkatraman Chandra-Mouli, World Health Organization
Michelle J. Hindin, World Health Organization
Marleen Temmerman, Aga Khan UniversityFollow
Peter Decat, Ghent University
Sara De Meyer, Ghent University
Kristien Michielsen, Ghent University

Document Type

Article

Department

Obstetrics and Gynaecology (East Africa)

Abstract

The Community-Embedded Reproductive Health Care for Adolescents (CERCA) Project was implemented in Bolivia, Ecuador and Nicaragua (2011–2014) to test the effectiveness of interventions preventing teenage pregnancies. As the outcome evaluation showed limited impact, a post-hoc process evaluation was carried out to determine if and how CERCA’s design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation affected the results. We did a document analysis and conducted 18 in-depth interviews and 21 focus group discussions with stakeholders and beneficiaries. Transcripts were analyzed using directed content analysis.

Data showed that CERCA sensitized stakeholders and encouraged the discussion on this sensitive issue. In terms of design, a strong point was the participatory approach; a weak point was that the detailed situation analysis was completed too late. In terms of implementation, a strong point was that multifaceted activities were implemented; a weak point was that the activities were not pilot tested for feasibility/acceptability and evolved substantially throughout the Project. In terms of monitoring, strong points were that regular monitoring kept the Project on track administratively/financially; a weak point was that monitoring indicators did not change as the intervention package changed. In terms of evaluation, weak points were the substantial attrition rate and narrow focus on adolescents.

Comments

This work was published before the author joined Aga Khan University.

Publication (Name of Journal)

Evaluation and Program Planning

Recommended Citation

Ivanova, O., Pozo, K. C., Segura, Z. E., Vega, B., Chandra-Mouli, V., Hindin, M. J., Temmerman, M., Decat, P., De Meyer, S., Michielsen, K. (2016). Lessons learnt from the CERCA Project, a multicomponent intervention to promote adolescent sexual and reproductive health in three Latin America countries: a qualitative post-hoc evaluation.. Evaluation and Program Planning, 58, 98-105.
Available at: https://ecommons.aku.edu/eastafrica_fhs_mc_obstet_gynaecol/175