Setbacks in the road to self-injection: a descriptive study of provider and mystery client reports on the DMPA-SC care-seeking experience in Nigeria

Setbacks in the road to self-injection: a descriptive study of provider and mystery client reports on the DMPA-SC care-seeking experience in Nigeria

This mixed-methods study describes perspectives from health providers and simulated clients on initiation and continuation of DMPA-SC for self-injection in Nigeria. Through mystery (simulated) client interactions, we found that providers were similarly willing to dispense units of DMPA-SC for self-i...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Madeline Griffith, Sneha Challa, Ayobambo Jegede, Ivan Idiodi, Chioma Okoli, Aminat Tijani, Shakede Dimowo, Awawu Grace Nmadu, Elizabeth Omoluabi, Jenny Liu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-08-01
Series:Frontiers in Global Women's Health
Subjects:
self-injection
self-care
DMPA-SC
implementation research
mixed-methods
refills
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgwh.2025.1552379/full
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Summary:This mixed-methods study describes perspectives from health providers and simulated clients on initiation and continuation of DMPA-SC for self-injection in Nigeria. Through mystery (simulated) client interactions, we found that providers were similarly willing to dispense units of DMPA-SC for self-injection to different client profiles, which varied in age, marital status, and parity. However, in-depth interviews with providers revealed nuance in their approaches to assessing clients’ eligibility for unsupervised self-injection of DMPA-SC. Factors including client age, marital status, parity, and education influenced who they deemed able to self-inject, which may limit access to DMPA-SC for clients who wish to self-inject the method. Quantitative and qualitative data also indicated that clients faced setbacks in continuing unsupervised self-injection when seeking refills from an unfamiliar provider. Stockouts of DMPA-SC further complicated access; some providers resorted to purchasing DMPA-SC privately and passing the cost onto clients. These findings highlight the need for clearer refill protocols and more consistent supply to ensure equitable access to DMPA-SC for self-injection in Nigeria.
ISSN:2673-5059

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