The Saturation + Approach to Behavior Change: Case Study of a Child Survival Radio Campaign in Burkina Faso

Abstract

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.

Correlates of the Women’s Development Army strategy implementation strength with household reproductive, maternal, newborn and child healthcare practices: a cross-sectional study in four regions of Ethiopia

“…In their systematic review, Gilmore and McAulifee suggest that increased contact points with community health workers may have an increased impact [ 21 ]. Increased density of the WDA may facilitate penetration of public health messages and work towards message saturation [ 39 ]. However, the performance is still far behind the Health Sector Transformation Plan institutional delivery target of 90% by the year 2020.…”

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

“…This includes a behavioral model, in which “motivation,” “capability,” and “opportunity” interact to determine behavior. According to this framework and given the theory of change underpinning DMI’s campaign, 12 one might speculate that the following mechanisms explain the observed changes in behavior. DMI’s messages, rather than providing information alone, use health-related storylines, which provide examples for people to aspire to, imitate, and elicit either positive or negative feelings about target behaviors.…”

“…A full description of the theory of change—the Saturation + methodology —used to design the campaign and its implementation is provided elsewhere. 11 , 12 Briefly, short spots of 1-minute duration were broadcast in the predominant local language approximately 10 times per day, and interactive long-format programs of 2-hours’ duration were broadcast 5 days per week. The spots were designed to be entertaining and informative and were developed and pretested based on qualitative formative research.…”

“…An overview of the Saturation+ methodology is given elsewhere, 11 and further details about the methodology and lessons learned during implementation of the DMI radio campaign are provided in a companion article in Global Health: Science and Practice . 12 The campaign was evaluated using a repeated cross-sectional, cluster randomized design. Community radio stations were chosen as the delivery channel for the campaign as they are widely listened to in those rural areas where child mortality is highest and because, with their limited transmission range, a randomized design was possible.…”

Behavior Change Fast and Slow: Changing Multiple Key Behaviors a Long-Term Proposition?

“…This issue of GHSP presents a paper on the implementation of such an ambitious approach using intensive mass media (radio) in Burkina Faso and its separate evaluation. 6 , 7 The intervention was unusual in identifying rural communities served by virtually only one radio station, allowing the project to randomize 7 such areas to receive intensive mass media behavior change messaging and 7 not to receive it. The campaign messaging was directed to a range of behaviors modeled to have the most potential impact on child mortality based on extensive formative research.…”