FAMILY PLANNING UNMET NEED COMMUNICATION CAMPAIGN
CONCEPTS PRE-TEST REPORT
(Kampala, Masaka, Mbarara, Soroti and Gulu)
10-Jan-2011
Table of Contents
Background:
Objectives of the Pre-test Exercise:
Study Methodology:
Study Findings:
Poster: Bubble Thought
Poster: Big Family Thought
Pretest Findings for Radio Spots:
Radio Spot 1:
Radio Spot 2:
Radio Spot 3:
Conclusion:
Recommendations:
Background:
Health communication partnership is in the process of designing outdoor, print, video and audio materials for its upcoming Family Planning Unmet Need communication campaign. The objective of the campaign is to:
Convince the audience that modern FP methods are safe and are most effective way to prevent unplanned pregnancies.
Prior to this, HCP together with Scanad Uganda, the advertising agency contracted to help with running of the campaign developed 7 concepts with different executions as follows:
- The Couple Communication Concept
- The Health Worker’s Concept
- The Religious Leaders’ Concept
- The Endorsers’ Concept
- The Peers’ Concept
- The Social Networks Concept
- The Choices Concept
These concepts were tested with the target audience in Gulu, Mbarara, Soroti, Luwero and Kampala districts. Subsequently, the health workers’ concept was chosen and HCP together with Scanad Uganda have developed billboards, posters and radio spots that will be used in the FP Unmet Need Communication campaign.
Before finalizingthe campaign materials, HCP conducted a pretest exercise across the country to seek views and input of the campaign’s target audiences about each of the materials.
Materials for Pre-test:
The materials for pretest were in English and Luganda languages. They included:
- 2 Posters i.e. the bubble thought and big family size executions.
- 2 Billboards i.e. the bubble thought and big family size executions.
- 3 Radio spots.
These materials were pre-tested in English in Kampala and Gulu, Luganda in Masaka, Ateso in Soroti, Luo in Gulu and 4 R’s in Mbarara.
Objectives of the Pre-test Exercise:
The objectives of the pre-test were to:
- Find out if the audiences understand the various materials developed for the FP campaign.
- Establish whether the pre-test audiences relate to the materials.
- Establish whether there is anything that is offensive or confusing in the materials.
- Establish if the materials are attractive to the audiences.
- Collect feedback about likes, dislikes and possible suggestions for improving the wording and layout of the materials.
Study Methodology:
12 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) each comprising of 8-12 respondents were conducted i.e. 2 in Kampala, Masaka, Soroti and Mbarara whereas 4 were held in Gulu. Respondents were adult men aged between 30-40 years who are not practicing family planning with their partners and women aged between 20-35 years who are not practicing family planning and yet do not want to get pregnant now.
Mobilization of respondents was done with the help of HCP partner staff who were also tasked with identifying FGD venues which were within the locality of the respondents;devoid of interruptions and private enough to allow people express their opinions without fear.
Screening of potential respondents was done in order to select FGD participants with the following characteristics:
- Currently married or cohabiting women and men
- Living in rural and peri urban areas.
- Women who do not use any modern family planning method yet do not want to get pregnant now.
- Men who do not use a modern family planning method with their partners
- Literate in the local languages of the area and English in districts where those specific materials were to be administered.
- Women aged between 20 – 30 years
- Men aged between 30-40 years
- Not a peer educator, health educator or local council official (for the FGDs)
Before commencing the group discussions, the Research Assistants also screened the mobilized FGD respondents for the above characteristics and those who did not qualify were not allowed to participate in the study.
Study Findings:
Highlighted in this section of the report are findings from 12 FGDs that were conducted in the aforementioned districts between 18th and 19th December 2010
General Observations
The materials were easily understandable; the big family thought and radio spots were clear and to the point. The bubble thought however was not clear as respondents from Kampala had a different interpretation of it. All respondents in Masaka and male respondents in Soroti however comprehended it well, interpreting that the nurse was giving her thought.
Poster: Bubble Thought
Description of what they saw:
All respondents in Kampala and male respondents from Gulu mentioned that they saw two women seated and one seemed to be directing the other some where. They further added that the older woman in the picture was telling her daughter about family planning and was directing her to a clinic where to get family planning services. They also stressed that the nurse seemed to be waiting for clients to serve them. Female respondents from Gulu however felt that the old woman was quarrelling with the young lady over her pregnancy and wanted her to abort it.
“The nurse’s smile shows that she is saying that “Come to me I am ready to offer you family planning services”said a male respondent from Kampala.
“It seems the old woman is telling her daughter not to listen to rumors about family planning and that family planning is good” said a female respondent from Kampala.
All respondents in Masaka and Mbarara on the other hand said that the two women in the bubble seemed to be talking about something while the nurse was listening. Masaka respondents also said that those two could have been discussing about the bad things associated with family planning and that that the old woman was directing her daughter to a traditional doctor instead of going for family planning. They also added that the nurse after listening wonders why the two ladies were not consulting her about family planning instead of listening to rumors. In addition they said that the nurse was calling people to go to her for correct information about family planning instead of listening to rumors.
“Okusinzira ku face yomusawo, kilabika maama womuwala yali amugamba ebintu ebibi ku family” said a female respondent in Masaka
(Looking at the expression on the nurse`s face, it seems the old woman was telling the daughter bad things about family planning)
“It looks like that woman is directing her friend to a witch doctor”. A male respondent from Masaka commented.
The respondents in Soroti however were convinced that the older woman in the bubble is a witchdoctor and was confusing the young girl and telling her many bad things about family planning. Female respondents saw the older lady as one who was pointing at the trees where the young girl can get herbs that can help her in family planning. They added that the nurse then came out to tell them that they should not listen to some people like that since they are the ones who will give wrong information and advice.
“the way that this woman is dressed shows that she is the one giving bad advice concerning family planning to the little girl and then the nurse is coming to tell her not to follow that” a female respondent mentioned.
Target Audience for the Poster:
All respondents agreed that this poster was meant for:
- All people who have never used modern family planning (FP) methods.
- All people who would like to start using modern FP methods.
- Those who are not using modern FP methods because of rumours.
- People who spread wrong information, myths and misconceptions about modern FP methods.
- Young single men and women cohabiting, living in rural or urban areas and need get correct information about modern FPmethods before getting married.
- Married couples aged 20 years and above who are just planning their families in order to have small manageable ones.
They said that the poster was meant for these categories of people because they are the most likely to believe rumors about family planning and before they start using family planning they need to get the right information from a health worker.
Male respondents in Kampala also added that this poster was meant for elite people in towns because it was in English and the compound in background in the bubble was well kept which was typical of a town setting. Their female counterparts and all respondents from Gulu added that this poster was also meant for rural women because they are usually prevented from using FP methods by their husbands and therefore they therefore end up producing many children.
“It is God who gives children. I will stop producing if God stops me.” A female respondent from Gulu said adding that the people who think like that are many in her community and they need to see this message too..
Call to Action:
All respondents interpreted the poster to be asking them to:
- Stop believing rumors said about FP methods.
- Go to health workers to learn more about FP.
- Go to health workers to get correct information about FP.
“I think we should talk to qualified health workers instead of confiding in our own friends who tell us only bad things about family planning which discourages us”. Said a female respondent from Kampala
“The poster is asking us to avoid going to the local medicine people and witchdoctors for help and instead go to trained nurses for help on family planning” a male respondent in Soroti said
Male respondents in Masaka and all respondents in Mbarara added that the poster was asking them to go to health centers with a sign of a rainbow over a yellow flower to get information about family planning.
Confusing Issues:
All male respondents from Kampala and all respondents in Gulu found the bubbles connecting the nurse to picture of the two women confusing. They said that they were like tablets falling from somewhere. They also said that they did not understand why the nurse was folding hands.
Some of the male respondents from Mbarara said the words and the pictures are small.
Respondents in the Luo FGD said that they did not understand the phrase “Pee iye jami maracu” and they were asking for an explanation by giving examples or illustration of these bad things that are talked about on the poster especially those that are related to Family Planning for better comprehension.
They also did not understand the circle that the old woman and the young lady were in and the bubbles in front of the nurse including the road that covered one side of the young lady’s eye.
The female respondents were also confused at the way the nurse’s skin was and they said that it looked like the nurse was suffering from the side effects of family planning.
Offensive Issues:
One male respondent from Masaka and another in Mbarara said that the woman on the left in picture seemed to be opening her thighs which could offend some people.
Suggestions for Improvement:
All male respondents from Kampala and Masaka suggested that it should be made clear where the woman was pointing by either showing a health center in the background or a sign post signifying a health centre. They also suggested that a man should also be included in the picture to signify that family planning is for both males and females.
Male respondents from Kampala further suggested that a nurse be put where the woman was pointing. They also added that instead of the nurse just folding her hands, she should be shown doing something in relation to family planning like giving an injection.
The respondents from Gulu suggested that the nurse be placed near the old woman and the young lady in order to portray that the nurse was giving them help. They also suggested that the two ladies be made to sit on “koolo” (papyrus mat).
They further suggested that the skin of the nurse should be made to look better because it looked burnt.
Some of the male respondents from Mbarara suggested that the words said by the two women be included on the poster.
Respondents in Soroti added that the old woman should be dressed like a real witch doctor with torn clothes if the poster is meant to portray the fact that witch doctors give wrong information about FP.
Include another bubble in the poster with the words that the witchdoctor is saying to the young girl to confuse her about family planning” a male respondent in Soroti added.
All the luo speaking respondents stated that there was need to illustrate the myths that people have about modern Family Planning while crossed out because of this statement; “pee iye jami maracu”
Poster: Big Family Thought
Description of what respondents saw:
At the sight of the picture majority of the respondents laughed while others looked down. All respondents later described that they saw a man who had produced many children, and now he is stressed and worried about how he is going to care for them. They also said that the couple seems to be regretting why they did not use family planning methods. Further they added that the nurse was telling other people not to wait until the situation is so bad to seek family planning services and that they should stop producing anyhow. Respondents also added that they saw poverty in the poster and the lack of space was evident in the way the family was all gathered on one bed.
Respondents from Gulu added that the home looked to be lacking peace, love and happiness since the parents sat all apart from each other and that the man could be unemployed.
“They even do not have food to eat” a female respondent in Soroti mentioned
Male respondents from Kampala also stressed that it seems the family shares the bed and since some children are already asleep, the parents and other children are wondering where they are going to sleep.
Female respondents in Soroti added that they saw many problems in the home and it seemed that the problem was that the little girl in the center of the bed had died and the family was grieving while the male respondents mentioned that they saw a family where poor child spacing was the cause of misery and the man in the home is wondering what to do next.
All respondents also mentioned that they saw a nurse who was warning people about what can happen to them when they do not listen to her and reject family planning.
Target Audience:
All respondents agreed that this poster was meant for:
- People who already have many children and they want to stop producing more.
- People who have never used family planning so that they start using it before it is too late.
- People who are planning to start families because they should first think of how many children they would like to have.
Respondents from Mbarara added that it is meant for mostly women between 14 – 45 years of age.
Respondents from Gulu and Mbarara added that it was meant for married couples living in both rural and urban areas who have yet few children in order to see the challenges that this family is going through in the poster.
Female respondents in Kampala and Soroti added that it was meant for women especially those in villages because they are the ones who produce many children.
Male respondents in Soroti also emphasized that the poster was for new couples so that they can adopt family planning early enough and avoid being in the situation depicted in the poster.
Call to Action:
All respondents also pointed out that the poster was asking them to begin using modern family planning immediately after getting married or starting to stay together instead of waiting till it’s too late to space the children.
Respondents also interpreted the poster to be asking them to produce few children that they can take care of. “This picture clearly shows that if one does not use family planning she produces many children and they later become a burden”. A male respondent from Kampala said.
Other respondents observed that the poster encourages people to talk to health workers about family planning. “Even if you already have many children it is not too late, you can still talk to nurse Mildred about family planning. You can even start using family planning”. A male respondent from Masaka said.