Entertainment Education for Increased Uptake of Family Planning Services and Improved Health Seeking Behaviors in Rural India: Abstract

"This programme was designed, in two formats, i.e., live and video shows, to inform, persuade and engage eligible couples and link them to Ujjwal clinics/service providers and FP [family planning] products."

The focus of this Project Ujjwal presentation for the International SBCC Summit 2016, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, February 8-10, is on entertainment education interventions for family planning in India.

From the abstract:
"With an ever-growing body of research on the benefits of family planning (FP) for improved maternal and child health and economic wellbeing - it becomes important to generate evidence on the role of mid-media activities, in addressing misconceptions associated with family planning methods, and ultimately resulting in the adoption of a method of choice. The UK [United Kingdom] aid supported Project Ujjwal, initiated an entertainment education (EE) campaign as part of its mid-media demand generation programmes in Bihar and Odisha (2 states across India) to support and improve service uptake through its private sector interventions and improve access to FP products. This programme was designed, in two formats i.e. live and video shows, to inform, persuade and engage eligible couples and link them to Ujjwal clinics/service providers and FP products. This study tests the influence of these EE shows on the outcomes (services uptake from Ujjwal clinics, public facilities, and use of the Ujjwal helpline).

Key highlights:

The project conducted 2,993 live shows and 1,600 video shows, in as many villages (out of 39,000 in state) during March 2014 to March 2015, covering a catchment of 222 Ujjwal clinics across 38 districts of Bihar in two phases. In Odisha, 1,103 live shows and 1,100 video shows were held, in as many villages (out of 47,000 in state) covering a catchment of 83 Ujjwal clinics across 30 districts. In both the states, one million people participated in the live shows with mean participation per show ranging 221-335, while 0.35 million people participate in the video shows with mean participation ranging from 75-150 per show. During the second phase (December 2014 – March 2015) the median (IQR) number of sterilisation adopters per Ujjwal clinic increased to 90 (37-139) from 22(8-42) during firstt phase (October- March 2014), in Bihar; and from 4 (0-14) during first phase (October- March 2014), to 98 (54-139) during second phase in Odisha. Similarly, an upward trend was observed in the uptake of IUCD and injectable contraceptive services from Ujjwal clinics in both the states. A substantial proportion of show attendees sought referral coupons to avail FP/RH [reproductive health] services from Ujjwal clinics."