Background Advocacy for equity in health service utilization and access, including Family Planning (FP) continues to be a cornerstone in increasing universal health coverage. Inequities in Family planning are highlighted by the differences in reproductive health outcomes or in the distribution of resources among different population groups. In this study we examine inequities in use of modern contraceptives with respect to Socio-economic and Education dimensions in seven sub-regions in Uganda. Methods The data were obtained from a baseline cross-sectional study in seven statistical regions where a program entitled “Reducing High Fertility Rates and Improving Sexual Reproductive Health Outcomes in Uganda, (RISE)” is implemented in Uganda. There was a total of 3,607 respondents, half of whom were women of reproductive age (15-49 years) and the other half men (18-54 years). Equity in family planning utilization was assessed by geography, wealth/economic and social-demographics. The use of modern family planning was measured as; using or not using modern FP. Concentration indices were used to measure the degree of Inequality in the use of modern contraceptives. Prevalence Ratios to compare use of modern FP were computed using modified Poisson regression run in STATA V15. Results Three-quarters (75.6%) of the participants in rural areas were married compared to only 63% in the urban. Overall use of modern contraceptives was 34.2% [CI:30.9, 37.6], without significant variation by rural/urban settings. Women in the higher socio-economic status (SES) were more advantaged in use of modern contraceptives compared to lower SES women. The overall Erreygers Concentration Index, as a measure of inequity, was 0.172, p <0.001. Overall, inequity in use of modern contraceptives by education was highest in favor of women with higher education (ECI=0.146, p =0.0001), and the concentration of use of modern contraceptives in women with higher education was significant in the rural but not urban areas Conclusion Inequities in the use of modern contraceptives still exist in favor of women with more education or higher socio-economic status, mainly in the rural settings. Focused programmatic interventions in rural settings should be delivered if universal Family Planning uptake is to be improved.

BACKGROUND:Uganda has registered an increased investment in family planning (FP) programs, which has contributed to improvement in knowledge of modern contraceptive methods being nearly universal. However, this has not matched the uptake of modern methods or the reduction in the unmet need for FP. This may be explained by the different influences which include health workers, family, and friends. Due to the limited uptake of contraceptive methods, a program on improving awareness, access to, and uptake of modern contraceptives is being implemented in selected regions in Uganda. We, therefore, conducted a formative study to determine the influences on contraceptive uptake at the onset of this program.METHODS:Using a qualitative study design, we conducted thirty-two focus group discussions and twenty-one in-depth interviews involving men and women of reproductive age. We also carried out twenty-one key informant interviews with people involved in FP service delivery. Data was collected in four districts where implementation of the program was to take place. Audio recorders were used to collect data and tools were translated into local languages. A codebook was developed, and transcripts were coded in vivo using the computer software Atlas-ti version 7 before analysis. Ethical clearance was obtained from institutional review boards and informed consent was sought from all participants.RESULTS:From the study, most married people mentioned health workers as their main influence while adolescents reported their peers and friends. Religious leaders and mothers-in-law were reported to mainly discourage people from taking up modern contraceptive methods. The cultural value attached to having many children influenced the contraceptive use decision among people in rural settings. Other influences included a person's experience and housing.CONCLUSIONS:Health workers, religious leaders, and mothers determine the uptake of contraceptive services. The study recommends the consideration of the role of these influences in the design of FP program interventions as well as more involvement of health workers in sensitization of communities about contraceptive methods.

Objective This paper establishes levels and patterns of ability and willingness to pay (AWTP) for contraceptives, and associated factors. Study design A three-stage cluster and stratified sampling was applied in selection of enumeration areas, households and individuals in a baseline survey for a 5-year Family planning programme. Multivariable linear and modified Poisson regressions are used to establish factors associated with AWTP. Results Ability to pay was higher among men (84%) than women (52%). A high proportion of women (96%) and men (82%) were able to pay at least Ug Shs 1000 ($0.27) for FP services while 93% of women and 83% of men who had never used FP services will in future be able to pay for FP services costed at least Shs 2000 ($0.55). The factors independently associated with AWTP were lower age group (<25 years), residence in urban areas, attainment of higher education level, and higher wealth quintiles. Conclusion AWTP for FP services varied by different measures. Setting the cost of FP services at Shs 1000 ($0.27) will attract almost all women (96%) and most of men (82%). Key determinants of low AWTP include residence in poor regions, being from rural areas and lack of/low education. Implications statement: Private providers should institute price discrimination for FP services by region, gender and socioeconomic levels. More economic empowerment for disadvantaged populations is needed if the country is to realise higher contraceptive uptake. More support for total market approach for FP services needed.

Population health surveys are rarely comprehensive in addressing sexual health, and population-representative surveys often lack standardised measures for collecting comparable data across countries. We present a sexual health survey instrument and implementation considerations for population-level sexual health research. The brief, comprehensive sexual health survey and consensus statement was developed via a multi-step process (an open call, a hackathon, and a modified Delphi process). The survey items, domains, entire instruments, and implementation considerations to develop a sexual health survey were solicited via a global crowdsourcing open call. The open call received 175 contributions from 49 countries. Following review of submissions from the open call, 18 finalists and eight facilitators with expertise in sexual health research, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), were invited to a 3-day hackathon to harmonise a survey instrument. Consensus was achieved through an iterative, modified Delphi process that included three rounds of online surveys. The entire process resulted in a 19-item consensus statement and a brief sexual health survey instrument. This is the first global consensus on a sexual and reproductive health survey instrument that can be used to generate cross-national comparative data in both high-income and LMICs. The inclusive process identified priority domains for improvement and can inform the design of sexual and reproductive health programs and contextually relevant data for comparable research across countries.

Objective To evaluate the impact of a peer-referral and clinic welcome programme for reducing barriers to adolescents' uptake of family planning services in Uganda. Methods We developed an intervention using behavioural design and carried out a stratified, randomized controlled evaluation of the intervention in girls aged 15-19 years. Sexual and reproductive health clinics were randomized into control (56 clinics) and intervention groups (60 clinics). All intervention clinics received the core intervention (materials to create an adolescent-friendly environment and referral cards to give to friends), while a subset of clinics additionally received training in youth-friendly service provision. We collected clinics'routine data on monthly numbers of visits by adults and adolescents over a 15-month baseline and 6-month intervention period, 2018-2020. Findings In multivariate regression analysis we found significant effects of the intervention on primary outcomes in the pooled intervention group compared with control. Mean monthly visits by adolescents increased by 45% (incidence rate ratio, IRR: 1.45; 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.14-1.85), or over five additional adolescent clients per clinic per month. The mean adolescent proportion of total clients improved by 5.3 percentage points (95% CI: 0.02-0.09). Within treatment arms, clinics receiving the training in youth-friendly service provision showed the strongest effects: a 62% increase (IRR: 1.62; 95% CI: 1.21-2.17) in adolescent clients, or over seven additional adolescents per clinic per month, relative to the control group. Conclusion A behavioural change intervention designed to target identified barriers can increase adolescents' uptake of family planning counselling and services.

Population health surveys are rarely comprehensive in addressing sexual health, and population-representative surveys often lack standardized measures for collecting comparable data across countries. We present a sexual health survey instrument and implementation considerations for population-level sexual health research. The brief, comprehensive sexual health survey and consensus statement was developed via a multi-step process (an open call, a hackathon, and a modified Delphi process). The survey items, domains, entire instruments, and implementation considerations to develop a sexual health survey were solicited via a global crowdsourcing open call. The open call received 175 contributions from 49 countries. Following review of submissions from the open call, 18 finalists and eight facilitators with expertise in sexual health research, especially in low and middle-income countries (LMICs), were invited to a 3-day hackathon to harmonize a survey instrument. Consensus was achieved through an iterative, modified Delphi process that included three rounds of online surveys. The entire process resulted in a 19-item consensus statement and a 10-minute sexual health survey instrument. This is the first global consensus on a sexual and reproductive health survey instrument that can be used to generate cross-national comparative data in both high-income and LMICs. The inclusive process identified priority domains for improvement and can inform the design of sexual and reproductive health programs and contextually relevant data for comparable research across countries.

Background Real-world evidence (RWE) is increasingly used to inform health technology assessments for resource allocation, which are valuable tools for emerging economies such as in America. Nevertheless, the characteristics and uses in South America are unknown. Objectives To identify sources, characteristics, and uses of RWE in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Chile, and evaluate the context-specific challenges. The implications for future regulation and responsible management of RWE in the region are also considered. Methods A systematic literature review, database mapping, and targeted gray literature search were conducted to identify the sources and characteristics of RWE. Findings were validated by key opinion leaders attending workshops in 4 South American countries. Results A database mapping exercise revealed 407 unique databases. Geographic scope, database type, population, and outcomes captured were reported. Characteristics of national health information systems show efforts to collect interoperable data from service providers, insurers, and government agencies, but that initiatives are hampered by fragmentation, lack of stewardship, and resources. In South America, RWE is mainly used for pharmacovigilance and as pure academic research, but less so for health technology assessment decision making or pricing negotiations and not at all to inform early access schemes. Conclusions The quality of real-world data in the case study countries vary and RWE is not consistently used in healthcare decision making. Authors recommend that future studies monitor the impact of digitalization and the potential effects of access to RWE on the quality of patient care.

492 Background: Anal cancer is associated with human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection, which can be prevented by the HPV vaccination. Few countries do recommend vaccination for the male population, but all males are at risk of contracting HPV. This study aimed to identify the latest evidence on the incidence of anal cancer and pre-cancer related to HPV in males globally and to analyze the epidemiological trends. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed using Medline and EMBASE. Studies containing original anal cancer incidence data in males published between January 1, 2008 and March 23, 2018 in English were included. Results: The global incidence of anal cancers and pre-cancers among the general male population was identified in 25 studies with observations ranging between 1968 and 2014. Incidence over time was reported in Australia and Europe. In an Australian national study, anal cancer incidence increased from 0.77 to 1.3 per 100,000 persons from 1982-2005, and in the UK from 0.79 to 1.06 per 100,000 persons from 1962-2002. In Denmark, the anal cancer range increased from 0.20-0.41 to 0.69-1.3 per 100,000 person-years (PYs) from pre-2000 to post-2000, and in France from 0.2 to 0.5 per 100,000 PYs from 1982-2012. In two national US studies, the mean incidence of pre-cancers was 1.5 in the period 1997-2009, and 0.41 from 1978-2007 per 100,000 PYs. The burden of anal cancers and pre-cancers increased the most among high-risk males reported in US studies. For HIV-positive males, mean incidence of cancer increased from 10.5 during 1980-1989 to 42.3 in 1996-2004 per 100,000 PYs, and for HIV-positive MSM, incidence increased from 47 to 270 per 100,000 PYs between 1984 and 2013. The mean pre-cancer incidence among HIV-positive males increased from 1.7 during 1980-1989 to 29.5 in 1996-2004 per 100,000 PYs. Conclusions: This systematic literature review demonstrates the increase in anal cancer and pre-cancer incidences over time in men, especially in high-risk male populations. The burden of anal cancers and pre-cancers increase over time in all male populations highlights the unmet medical need and the importance of preventative interventions such as HPV gender-neutral vaccinations.

A quantitative histological examination was made of iliac-crest biopsy specimens obtained from 125 cases of fracture of the proximal femur (102 women and 23 men). 35 women (34%) demonstrated a more severe degree of osteoporosis than would be expected for their age and 35 (including 10 of those with osteoporosis) had some evidence of osteomalacia. There was some evidence of osteomalacia in 11 (47%) men. 5 women and 2 men with osteomalacia had previously undergone partial gastrectomy. It is suggested that osteomalacia in the elderly makes an important contribution to the steep rise in femoral-neck fractures with advancing age in the U.K. and that this is attributable to an absolute or relative deficiency of vitamin D. It is also suggested that at least some of the osteoporotic component may also be attributable to a degree of vitamin-D deficiency sufficient to cause malabsorption of calcium but not sufficient to produce osteomalacia.