Behavior Change Communication

  • Open Access
    Positive Influence of Behavior Change Communication on Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices for Visceral Leishmaniasis/Kala-azar in India
    Raghavan Srinivasan, Tanwir Ahmad, Vidya Raghavan, Manisha Kaushik and Ramakant Pathak
    Global Health: Science and Practice March 2018, 6(1):192-209; https://doi.org/10.9745/GHSP-D-17-00087

    After 8 months of behavior change communication activities, largely using group and interpersonal communication, refusal of indoor residual spraying to prevent visceral leishmaniasis was significantly lower among households in intervention villages (8%) than control villages (25%). Knowledge and attitudes were also better among the households in the intervention villages than control villages.

  • Open Access
    The Saturation+ Approach to Behavior Change: Case Study of a Child Survival Radio Campaign in Burkina Faso
    Joanna Murray, Pieter Remes, Rita Ilboudo, Mireille Belem, Souleymane Salouka, Will Snell, Cathryn Wood, Matthew Lavoie, Laurent Deboise and Roy Head
    Global Health: Science and Practice December 2015, 3(4):544-556; https://doi.org/10.9745/GHSP-D-15-00049

    This randomized radio campaign focused on the 3 principles of the Saturation+ approach to behavior change: (1) saturation (high exposure to messages), (2) science (basing design on data and modeling), and (3) creative storytelling. Locally developed short spots and longer dramas targeted multiple child survival-related behaviors and were delivered entirely by local radio stations. Innovative partnerships with radio stations provided free airtime in return for training, equipment, and investment in solar power.

  • Open Access
    Behavior Change After 20 Months of a Radio Campaign Addressing Key Lifesaving Family Behaviors for Child Survival: Midline Results From a Cluster Randomized Trial in Rural Burkina Faso
    Sophie Sarrassat, Nicolas Meda, Moctar Ouedraogo, Henri Some, Robert Bambara, Roy Head, Joanna Murray, Pieter Remes and Simon Cousens
    Global Health: Science and Practice December 2015, 3(4):557-576; https://doi.org/10.9745/GHSP-D-15-00153

    The radio campaign reached a high proportion of mothers, but the impact on self-reported behaviors at midline was mixed. Some reported episodic behaviors such as care seeking for diarrhea and obtaining treatment for fast/difficult breathing improved more in intervention than control areas, but there was little or no difference between areas in reported habitual behaviors, such as exclusive breastfeeding, complementary feeding, hand washing with soap, and use of bed nets.

  • Using behavior change communication to lead a comprehensive family planning program: the Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative
    Susan Krenn, Lisa Cobb, Stella Babalola, Mojisola Odeku and Bola Kusemiju
    Global Health: Science and Practice December 2014, 2(4):427-443; https://doi.org/10.9745/GHSP-D-14-00009

    Greater exposure to a comprehensive family planning program in urban Nigeria that emphasized demand generation and communication theory was associated with improved ideation among women (their beliefs, ideas, and feelings about family planning), and more positive ideation was associated with greater contraceptive use, especially among the poor. Improving providers' knowledge, attitudes, and skills was also key. By the end of the observation period, outreach through mobile service delivery contributed nearly one-half of the project clinics' family planning services.

  • Demand generation activities and modern contraceptive use in urban areas of four countries: a longitudinal evaluation
    Ilene S Speizer, Meghan Corroon, Lisa Calhoun, Peter Lance, Livia Montana, Priya Nanda and David Guilkey
    Global Health: Science and Practice December 2014, 2(4):410-426; https://doi.org/10.9745/GHSP-D-14-00109

    Demand generation activities that were significantly associated with increased use of modern contraception in India (Uttar Pradesh), Kenya, Nigeria, and Senegal included: (1) community outreach activities, such as home visits and group discussions about family planning; (2) local radio programs; and (3) branded slogans and print materials circulated widely across the city. Television programming was also significant in India and Nigeria. Exposure to more activities may increase women's likelihood of using contraception.

  • Breaking new ground in family planning communication
    Global Health: Science and Practice December 2014, 2(4):376-377; https://doi.org/10.9745/GHSP-D-14-00192

    The Urban Reproductive Health Initiative has shown impact on contraceptive use from its communication components even within a few years, as described in 2 GHSP articles. One specifically addressed “ideation” about family planning in detail and was able to show both changes in ideation due to program exposure and correlated changes in contraceptive use. The other used a sophisticated analytical technique that indicated the observed changes in contraceptive use resulted from exposure to the communication efforts, and not just because people more prone to adopt family planning were also more likely to recall exposure to the communication messages.

  • Open Access
    The 6 domains of behavior change: the missing health system building block
    James D. Shelton
    Global Health: Science and Practice August 2013, 1(2):137-140; https://doi.org/10.9745/GHSP-D-13-00083

    Behavior is crucial throughout global health interventions. The discipline of behavior change offers distinct expertise needed across 6 different domains of behavior. Such expertise is in short supply, however. We will not have effective and sustainable health systems, nor achieve our ambitious global health goals, without seriously addressing behavior change.