World Bank2013-08-302013-08-302001-06-29https://hdl.handle.net/10986/15515This report presents the findings of an exploratory study conducted in poor areas of three provinces in northern Argentina (Misiones, Salta, and Santiago del Estero). The study comprised a random (cluster) sample of three hundred households of women in reproductive age with at least one child. Focus groups (13) and in-depth interviews with key informants (health providers, educators, religious, and community leaders) were conducted to validate quantitative data and to explore issues such as gender roles, domestic violence, abortion, and contraception. The study aimed at contributing to a better understanding of reproductive health issues, quality of life, and rural poverty--primarily as it affects women--and providing policy recommendations for addressing reproductive health issues in rural poverty alleviation strategies. The study also explored, albeit on a limited basis, men's perceptions and behavior related to reproductive health. The principal findings of this study focus on gathering reliable data for decisionmaking especially at the sub-national levels; controlling family size as it has a direct impact on women's income-generating capacity and quality of life; developing the political will to promote and implement comprehensive reproductive health programs; increasing public awareness of reproductive health; and analyzing factors in the underutilization of health services and contraceptives.en-USCC BY 3.0 IGOABORTIONABORTIONSACCESS TO HEALTH SERVICESACCESS TO SERVICESADOLESCENTSBARRIER METHODSBIRTH CONTROLBREASTFEEDINGCARE OF CHILDRENCOMMUNITY PARTICIPATIONCONTRACEPTIONCONTRACEPTIVESDECISION MAKINGDISCRIMINATIONDISTRICTSDOMESTIC VIOLENCEEARLY DETECTIONETHICSEXTENSIONFAMILY PLANNINGFAMILY PLANNING SERVICESFARMERSFEMALESGENDERHEALTH BEHAVIORHEALTH EDUCATIONHEALTH INDICATORSHEALTH LEGISLATIONHEALTH PROMOTIONHEALTH SERVICESHEPATITIS BHORMONESHOUSEHOLDSHUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUSHUMAN RIGHTIMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROMEIMMUNODEFICIENCYLAWSMATERNAL MORTALITYMIGRATIONMORTALITYMOTHERSNATURAL METHODSPEER REVIEWPHYSICIANSPOPULATION GROUPSPOSTNATAL CAREPREGNANCYPRIMARY HEALTH CAREPUBLIC HEALTHQUALITATIVE RESEARCHQUALITY OF LIFEQUANTITATIVE RESEARCHRELIGIOUS BELIEFSRELIGIOUS LEADERSREPRODUCTIONREPRODUCTIVE AGEREPRODUCTIVE BEHAVIORREPRODUCTIVE HEALTHREPRODUCTIVE HEALTH INDICATORSREPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SERVICESREPRODUCTIVE HEALTH STATUSREPRODUCTIVE LAWREPRODUCTIVE PROCESSRESEARCH METHODSRISK FACTORSRURAL AREASRURAL DEVELOPMENTRURAL WOMENSELF-CARESEXSEX EDUCATIONSEXUAL BEHAVIORSEXUAL HEALTHSEXUALITYSEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASESSOCIAL EXCLUSIONSOCIAL SCIENCESSOCIOECONOMIC FACTORSSPECIALISTSSTDSSTERILIZATIONTEENAGE PREGNANCIESUNIVERSITIESUNWANTED PREGNANCIESVIOLENCEVULNERABLE GROUPSWORKERS REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHRURAL HEALTHHEALTH LEGISLATIONGENDER ROLESQUALITY OF LIFEGENDER IDENTITYPOLICY FRAMEWORKPREGNANCY RATECONTRACEPTIVE METHODSFAMILY PLANNINGABORTIONADOLESCENT PREGNANCYPRENATAL CAREPOSTNATAL CAREDATA GATHERINGHEALTH POLICYHEALTH SUVEILLANCE REQUIREMENTSWOMEN'S PARTICIPATIONHEALTH INSURANCETARGETINGINFORMATION DISSEMINATIONHEALTH EDUCATIONADULT EDUCATIONHEALTH SERVICESSERVICE DELIVERYGOVERNMENT PROGRAMSWorld Bank10.1596/15515