Factors Associated with Exposure to National Communication Campaign to Influence Health Behaviors and Impact Stunting
Summary:
Reducing childhood stunting continues to be a priority in Indonesia. In 2015, the National Nutrition Communication Campaign (NNCC) implemented mass media and interpersonal communication (IPC) interventions to disseminate stunting-related information. Whereas other studies of the NNCC's impact on attitudes and behaviors are currently underway, the purpose of this study was to better understand the factors associated with exposure to the media and IPC components of the NNCC. Responses relating to demographic and socioeconomic factors, social media, WhatsApp, and electronic device ownership were analyzed using multiple linear regression modeling techniques. Owning an electronic device, owning an internet-accessible device, and access to social media and WhatsApp were positively related to media exposure and negatively related to IPC exposure. These findings may be used to inform future community health efforts in rural Indonesia and similar regions that may be considering the use of both mass media and interpersonal interventions to influence health behaviors.
Background/Objectives:
Stunting is the result of chronic nutritional deprivation and illness, especially in the first 1,000 days of life. Indonesia ranks 5th in the world for stunting prevalence. To influence the beliefs and behaviors of mothers with children under age two, the NNCC implemented media and IPC interventions to disseminate information and educate caregivers about stunting. The theory-based media campaign included public service announcements and social media and was designed to influence attitudes, norms, and behaviors. The IPC component included one-on-one counseling and health classes for mothers and was designed to develop skills to lead to behavior change.
Description of Intervention and/or Methods/Design:
The NNCC mass media campaign targeted a national audience. The IPC component of the campaign operated at a district level where community health workers targeted caregivers at health outposts and community health centers. IMA World Health collected follow-up data in three rural districts targeted with media and IPC intervention components. Using simple random sampling, 600 mothers of children under age two were chosen per district. A total of 1,734 caregivers agreed to participate in this study. Participants responded to questions regarding their exposure to the media and engagement with IPC, basic demographics, and the "use of and access to communication technologies, including whether or not they owned an electronic device or internet-accessible device, and their use of internet-accessible devices to access health information," social media, and WhatsApp. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the data. All models controlled for mothers' age, education, and household income.
Results/Lessons Learned:
Participating caregivers averaged 28.9 years old and most (94.4%) completed primary school. Exposure to the media component (74.7%) was more common than exposure to IPC (26.5%). Ownership of an internet-accessible device was negatively associated with exposure to the IPC campaign 0.609 (0.459-0.81). Social media use, likewise, had a negative association with exposure to the IPC campaign 0.626 (0.459-0.854). Mothers who used their electronic devices to access health information were more likely 2.068 (1.469-2.911) to have been exposed to the media component of NNCC as were mothers that reported owning an internet-accessible electronic device 1.643 (1.237-2.183). Being exposed to the media campaign was positively associated with having an electronic device with WhatsApp 1.663 (1.175-2.355).
Discussion/Implications for the Field:
Findings from this study may be confirmatory, in that access to and the use of internet-accessible technology was related to media campaign exposure. Those same influences were negatively associated with IPC exposure. This latter finding was less expected and may suggest people with internet-accessible devices consume health information online and feel less inclined to participate in IPC activities. This expands our knowledge of the factors associated with exposure to behavior change campaigns in rural settings. Caregivers with technology and internet access may benefit from media-based interventions, whereas those with limited access may benefit from traditional interpersonal mediums.
Abstract submitted by:
Abigail Norton
Leiema Hunt
Evie Friedbaum
Chantel Daines
Danica Topham
Scott Torres - IMA World Health
Reducing childhood stunting continues to be a priority in Indonesia. In 2015, the National Nutrition Communication Campaign (NNCC) implemented mass media and interpersonal communication (IPC) interventions to disseminate stunting-related information. Whereas other studies of the NNCC's impact on attitudes and behaviors are currently underway, the purpose of this study was to better understand the factors associated with exposure to the media and IPC components of the NNCC. Responses relating to demographic and socioeconomic factors, social media, WhatsApp, and electronic device ownership were analyzed using multiple linear regression modeling techniques. Owning an electronic device, owning an internet-accessible device, and access to social media and WhatsApp were positively related to media exposure and negatively related to IPC exposure. These findings may be used to inform future community health efforts in rural Indonesia and similar regions that may be considering the use of both mass media and interpersonal interventions to influence health behaviors.
Background/Objectives:
Stunting is the result of chronic nutritional deprivation and illness, especially in the first 1,000 days of life. Indonesia ranks 5th in the world for stunting prevalence. To influence the beliefs and behaviors of mothers with children under age two, the NNCC implemented media and IPC interventions to disseminate information and educate caregivers about stunting. The theory-based media campaign included public service announcements and social media and was designed to influence attitudes, norms, and behaviors. The IPC component included one-on-one counseling and health classes for mothers and was designed to develop skills to lead to behavior change.
Description of Intervention and/or Methods/Design:
The NNCC mass media campaign targeted a national audience. The IPC component of the campaign operated at a district level where community health workers targeted caregivers at health outposts and community health centers. IMA World Health collected follow-up data in three rural districts targeted with media and IPC intervention components. Using simple random sampling, 600 mothers of children under age two were chosen per district. A total of 1,734 caregivers agreed to participate in this study. Participants responded to questions regarding their exposure to the media and engagement with IPC, basic demographics, and the "use of and access to communication technologies, including whether or not they owned an electronic device or internet-accessible device, and their use of internet-accessible devices to access health information," social media, and WhatsApp. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the data. All models controlled for mothers' age, education, and household income.
Results/Lessons Learned:
Participating caregivers averaged 28.9 years old and most (94.4%) completed primary school. Exposure to the media component (74.7%) was more common than exposure to IPC (26.5%). Ownership of an internet-accessible device was negatively associated with exposure to the IPC campaign 0.609 (0.459-0.81). Social media use, likewise, had a negative association with exposure to the IPC campaign 0.626 (0.459-0.854). Mothers who used their electronic devices to access health information were more likely 2.068 (1.469-2.911) to have been exposed to the media component of NNCC as were mothers that reported owning an internet-accessible electronic device 1.643 (1.237-2.183). Being exposed to the media campaign was positively associated with having an electronic device with WhatsApp 1.663 (1.175-2.355).
Discussion/Implications for the Field:
Findings from this study may be confirmatory, in that access to and the use of internet-accessible technology was related to media campaign exposure. Those same influences were negatively associated with IPC exposure. This latter finding was less expected and may suggest people with internet-accessible devices consume health information online and feel less inclined to participate in IPC activities. This expands our knowledge of the factors associated with exposure to behavior change campaigns in rural settings. Caregivers with technology and internet access may benefit from media-based interventions, whereas those with limited access may benefit from traditional interpersonal mediums.
Abstract submitted by:
Abigail Norton
Leiema Hunt
Evie Friedbaum
Chantel Daines
Danica Topham
Scott Torres - IMA World Health
Source
Approved abstract for the postponed 2020 SBCC Summit in Marrakech, Morocco. Provided by the International Steering Committee for the Summit. Image credit: IMA World Health