الملخص الإنجليزي
Objectives: Counselling plays a key role in enhancing reproductive services, providing contraceptionrelated
information and supporting long-term family planning for women of childbearing age. This study aimed
to evaluate family planning counselling sessions in selected governmental and private clinics in northern Jordan.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between January and June 2016 in Irbid, Jordan. A total of 200
women attending two private clinics affiliated with the Jordanian Association for Family Planning and Protection
(JAFPP) and six governmental clinics were invited to participate in the study. Counselling sessions were attended
by an independent observer and evaluated with regards to their compliance with the standard Greet, Ask, Tell,
Help, Explain, Return (GATHER) framework. Results: A total of 198 women participated in the study (response
rate: 99.0%), including 80 women (40.4%) from JAFPP clinics and 118 (59.6%) from governmental clinics. In total,
42.9% of the counselling sessions were deemed adequate, with providers applying 80% or more of the GATHER
framework, while 26.8% of the sessions were deemed semi-adequate and 30.3% were considered inadequate.
Counselling services provided in the governmental clinics were significantly less adequate than those provided
in JAFPP clinics (P <0.001). Conclusion: The quality of counselling services in governmental family planning
centres in Jordan needs to be improved to ensure that women receive the highest possible level of care. Healthcare
policymakers should therefore focus on developing and supporting effective family planning counselling services
in northern Jordan.
