Competencies for Professionals in Population and Reproductive Health

PRH Policy, History & Trends

  • Know significant past and current national legislative developments relevant to the field of reproductive health.
  • Be able to analyze the health, fiscal, administrative, legal, social, and political implications of PRH policy options.
  • Be able to develop policy implementation plans, including goals, outcome and process objectives, implementation steps and evaluation plan.

Theories & Models Pertinent to PRH

  • Know the theories used in the design and delivery of comprehensive and culturally appropriate PRH services and programs
  • Be able to apply health promotion and sociological theories for programs designed to improve PRH at the individual, family, and community levels

Socioeconomic and Behavioral Factors

  • Understand how socio-economic and behavioral factors impact health status and health behaviors
  • Be able to identify the socio-economic and behavioral factors that impact reproductive health of individuals and populations

RH Program Planning & Design

  • Understand the principles of community needs assessment, program design and implementation
  • Be able to conduct community needs assessments and design RH programs

RH Program Evaluation & Research

  • Understand the principles of evaluation, research design, sampling, basic descriptive and inferential statistics, and validity/reliability assessment measures
  • Be able to conduct evaluations of RH programs

RH Promotion & Communication

  • Understand communications theories used in the development of RH education materials
  • Be able to develop effective RH information, education and communication materials

RH Cultural Competency

  • Understand the impact of culture on reproductive health behaviors and health status
  • Be able to engage community members in the design and evaluation of RH programs that integrate a
    community’s cultural norms, beliefs, and practices
  • Be able to develop culturally appropriate RH promotional materials

Biological Basis of RH

  • Understand specific biological processes related to RH, including STD/HIV transmission, contraceptive technology, and pregnancy
  • Be able to describe the biological process of STD/HIV transmission, contraceptive technology, and
    pregnancy

PRH Ethical Principles

  • Understand the ethical issues, such as informed consent and confidentiality, involved in PRH practice, program management, evaluation, and research
  • Be able to develop appropriate protocols and consent forms to uphold ethical principles

RH Advocacy

  • Understand the function of the legislative, judicial, and administrative bodies at the national, state, and local levels and how they influence RH policy
  • Be able to identify weaknesses in RH programs that require policy initiatives
  • Be able to design and carry out an advocacy campaign on RH issues