A Mixed Methods Study of Reproductive Health Services Delivery in Rural Indonesia

Emily Weaver, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Bondan Sikoki, SurveyMETER

The Indonesian Village Midwife Program was established in 1989 to reduce maternal mortality by providing widespread access to reproductive health services in every village of the country. We use a mixed methods approach to identify issues related to the program’s structure and delivery of services. Data sources include discussion from focus groups conducted in Central Java in May 2011 and data from the Indonesia Family Life Survey. We find that the Program was successful in providing access to reproductive health services by skilled providers to rural and poor populations. However, preliminary results from focus group discussions also reveal geographic variation in implementation of the program, inconsistent certification and licensing requirements at the local level, and cultural issues related to acceptance of the village midwives and delivery of services. Results from this study provide lessons for other stakeholders who seek to implement national-level reproductive health programs in resource-poor settings.