Sponsored Research Projects

Frontiers in Reproductive Health (FRONTIERS)

Dates: June 1998 – Current
Funding Source: USAID
Tulane's Role: Subcontractor (Prime: Population Council; other Subcontractor: Family Health International)
Countries: Global (Africa, Asia and the Near East, Latin America and the Caribbean)
Principal Investigator: Anastasia Gage, PhD
Website: http://www.popcouncil.org/frontiers/frontierspartners.html

Frontiers in Reproductive Health (FRONTIERS) is a global operations research (OR) project that tests innovative interventions to ensure high-quality, client-centered family planning and reproductive health services. It also ensures that innovations are diffused rapidly and adapted to local settings. OR is the application of systematic research techniques to improve program effectiveness, quality, efficiency and equity. FRONTIERS conducts country studies as well as regional and global studies of critical service delivery issues, using comparable study designs at multiple sites. These studies produce evidence needed by policymakers and program managers to make sound decisions regarding new reproductive health policies and program improvements. FRONTIERS also seeks to build the capacity of institutions in the developing world to conduct OR and apply it to reproductive health programs by providing technical assistance, training programs and funding through the Small Grants program. Research focuses on family planning and related reproductive health issues, including safe pregnancy, postpartum and postabortion care, STI/HIV/AIDS, elimination of harmful practices such as female genital cutting, access to quality services, and cost and sustainability.