Behavior Change Communication
Behavior Change Communication (BCC) is an interactive, research-based process to: meet the informational needs of particular audience groups; reduce barriers to behavior change; and motivate audiences to seek appropriate reproductive health and family planning products and services. BCC is a powerful tool to generate sustained demand for family planning. Using a mix of mass media channels, community-based activities and interpersonal communication, BCC can shift both individual behavior and community norms to enhance the overall environment surrounding family planning and reproductive health. Private sector companies such as market research firms and advertising agencies are typically engaged in this process, and BCC campaigns often result in increased sales of private sector products and services.
The strategic and integrated approach used in the Abt Associates-led Private Sector Partnerships One (PSP-One) Project considers both supply and demand side factors that impact on the reproductive health status of consumers in developing countries. The PSP-One approach to BCC encompasses a comprehensive strategy containing the following elements:
- Situation Analysis
- Audience Segmentation
- Communication Objectives
- Strategic Approach
- Message Development
- Channels and Tools
- Management Plan
- Monitoring and Evaluation
PSP-One Technical Assistance: PSP-One staff capabilities are available in all of these areas, ranging from conducting needs assessments and formative research to strategy design, creative material development and evaluation. PSP-One's Senior Advisor for Social Marketing and Behavior Change Communication has 20 years of experience designing and implementing effective BCC campaigns to promote reproductive health throughout Africa, Asia, the Near East and the Caribbean. This skill set is complemented by an array of additional PSP-One staff with related Behavior Change Communication expertise.
Recognizing that BCC must be integrated with other program areas to achieve synergy and to maximize effectiveness, PSP-One links its BCC work to other components such as: social marketing; public-private partnerships; supply of quality products and services; and provider training. All BCC work is grounded in audience research and implemented in collaboration with local partners in the field.
The PSP-One Project designed and implemented an innovative, research-driven public-private partnership to meet the reproductive health needs of young couples in urban India. Saathiya ('trusted partner' in Hindi), is an apt name for this new campaign that helps young married couples in Lucknow, UP make informed choices about when to start childbearing and how many children to have. Research worldwide confirms that young people prefer to obtain family planning information and products from the private sector, and short-acting methods are those most frequently sought. "Saathiya" has partnered with a variety of contraceptive manufacturers to offer a “basket” of condoms, emergency contraception, low dose oral contraceptives and Standard Days Method ‘CycleBeads’. Approximately 300 chemists and ‘ISMP’ (traditional) medical doctors completed a training program on adolescent reproductive health and counseling skills. These “supply side” components are complemented by a "Saathiya" promotional campaign that includes: radio advertising, print materials, billboards, cinema slides and community theater, along with provider signage and in-store/in-clinic materials, to create awareness of the program. A particularly innovative and effective part of the communication strategy is the “Saathiya” helpline, which received almost 12,000 calls in the first 6 months of operation.
