| Benefits |
Less stigma: “I think an option for self-initiated interventions is good to reduce stigma and discrimination.” (41-year-old woman, Uganda) Reduced barriers to access: “Going to a health care provider can be a major barrier for women to access reproductive health services. Putting care directly into the hands of women to manage is an important way to overcome this barrier” (29-year-old woman, United States) |
Empowerment: “This can lead to improvement of knowledge and confidence.” (65-year-old man, Kenya) Increased uptake of SRHR services: “Greater uptake and adherence of interventions if self-initiated” (59-year-old woman, United States) Privacy and reduced stigma: “I think that having these interventions easily accessible and without stigmatization or shame would make these interventions easier, more pleasant and safer” (21-year-old woman, Poland) |
| Concerns |
Stigma: “Young people are exposed to ill treatment by the doctor” (22-year-old man, Turkey) Accessibility concerns: “Confidentiality is a problem when you go to access services” (56-year-old woman, Liberia) Trustworthiness of intervention: “I would want to make sure they are trusted, not counterfeit, if I buy them online.” (35-year-old woman, United States) Potential for misuse: “an intervention led by a doctor or health care provider is safer and maintains safer reproductive health” (63-year-old woman, Pakistan) |
Insufficient user knowledge: persons would have “incomplete information to make a really informed choice” (43-year-old woman, Spain) Stigma: there is the need for “accessibility to self-interventions without prejudice” (32-year-old man, Nigeria) Accessibility concerns: people experience “lack of access to health services when needed even if they exist due to many barriers” (56-year-old woman, Italy) Side effects/ complications: concerns regarding “handling of complications” (54-year-old man, Kenya) |
| Implementation considerations |
Knowledge and information: “Self-initiated interventions requires awareness, good educational background and community participation” (70-year-old man, India) Accessible interventions and linkages to healthcare: “Some interventions need counselling before they are used, how will that happen in self-initiated interventions?” (44-year-old woman, Uganda) |
Healthcare linkages: “this should be an integral part of all interventions with clear guidance provided on all platforms of how to access services if needed” (56-year-old woman, Italy) Increased community engagement: “spreading information about that in the community” (21-year-old woman, Poland) |
