RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Demand generation activities and modern contraceptive use in urban areas of four countries: a longitudinal evaluation JF Global Health: Science and Practice JO GLOB HEALTH SCI PRACT FD Johns Hopkins University- Global Health. Bloomberg School of Public Health, Center for Communication Programs SP 410 OP 426 DO 10.9745/GHSP-D-14-00109 VO 2 IS 4 A1 Ilene S Speizer A1 Meghan Corroon A1 Lisa Calhoun A1 Peter Lance A1 Livia Montana A1 Priya Nanda A1 David Guilkey YR 2014 UL http://www.ghspjournal.org/content/2/4/410.abstract AB 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. Family planning is crucial for preventing unintended pregnancies and for improving maternal and child health and well-being. In urban areas where there are large inequities in family planning use, particularly among the urban poor, programs are needed to increase access to and use of contraception among those most in need. This paper presents the midterm evaluation findings of the Urban Reproductive Health Initiative (Urban RH Initiative) programs, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, that are being implemented in 4 countries: India (Uttar Pradesh), Kenya, Nigeria, and Senegal. Between 2010 and 2013, the Measurement, Learning & Evaluation (MLE) project collected baseline and 2-year longitudinal follow-up data from women in target study cities to examine the role of demand generation activities undertaken as part of the Urban RH Initiative programs. Evaluation results demonstrate that, in each country where it was measured, outreach by community health or family planning workers as well as local radio programs were significantly associated with increased use of modern contraceptive methods. In addition, in India and Nigeria, television programs had a significant effect on modern contraceptive use, and in Kenya and Nigeria, the program slogans and materials that were blanketed across the cities (eg, leaflets/brochures distributed at health clinics and the program logo placed on all forms of materials, from market umbrellas to health facility signs and television programs) were also significantly associated with modern method use. Our results show that targeted, multilevel demand generation activities can make an important contribution to increasing modern contraceptive use in urban areas and could impact Millennium Development Goals for improved maternal and child health and access to reproductive health for all.