Tools

Reality √:  A Planning and Advocacy Tool for Strengthening Family Planning Programs
Version 2, December 2010
In the reproductive health and family planning field, contraceptive prevalence rates (CPR) are often discussed. Programmers and policy makers are frequently asked to forecast overall contraceptive and method prevalence rates at national or local levels and to analyze past CPR trends. Projecting contraceptive and method-specific prevalence rates is essential to evaluating current efforts, setting goals for the future, and planning realistically for the resources the program will require. But staff are often not equipped with the data or tools they need to make realistic programming decisions. Originally developed under the ACQUIRE Project, this programmatic and technical model/tool, examines the relationship of contraceptive prevalence to contraceptive users, adopters, and commodities. Reality √ allows for gauging what are realistic goals for national, district, and facility-level programming, as well as helping planners use existing data to project CPR and method mix into the future and test scenarios that impact CPR. This type of local, specific data is crucial to:

• Evaluating whether contraceptive prevalence goals are achievable
• Programming based on data
• Advocating for the resources needed to actually achieve goals

Reality √ allows one to project the future CPR needs of the geographic area where one’s program is operating and is important for programmers in planning activities and interventions. The data can also provide evidence to use for advocacy purposes—one can advocate for an increase in family planning resources based on projected data. (2010)
Available online:
•  Reality √ Package (zip file, 5.3MB)
•  User's Guide English (PDF, 2.5MB), French (PDF, 1.8MB) 
•  Reality √ Tool English (Excel, 1MB), French (Excel, 1.3MB)   
•  Population Calculator English (Excel, 7MB), French (Excel, 7.2MB) 
•  Method Mix Calculators English (Excel, 44KB), French (Excel, 102KB)
•  Summary: Reality √ 2-Pager English (PDF, 875KB) and French (PDF, 2.3MB)   

•  Trainer's Guide English (PDF, 664KB) and French (664KB) May 2011 

Using Quantification to Support Introduction and Expansion of Long-Acting and Permanent Methods of Contraception
October 2010
USAID | DELIVER and RESPOND Project LA/PM Technical Brief

Quantification of Health Commodities: Contraceptive Companion Guide
November 2011
USAID | DELIVER and RESPOND Project LA/PM Technical Brief 

Medical Instruments and Expendable Medical Supplies Needed to Provide Long-Acting and Permanent Methods of Contraception
(PDF, 42KB)
September 2010
This table outlines the specific medical instruments and expendable medical supplies necessary to provide high quality LA/PMs. Developed as a job aid, it is meant to facilitate LA/PM service delivery and ensure contraceptive security.