Behavioral Change Communications on Malaria Prevention in Ghana

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to assess the various communications strategies designed to promote insecticide-treated nets (ITN) use among pregnant women and children. This study is an exploratory study into the communications activities by institutions involved in malaria prevention in Ghana. In-depth interviews were conducted and the data were analyzed. We found that most of the interventions are aimed at encouraging the target markets to acquire ITNs, although most messages on malaria prevention are not integrated. Several challenges were noted, including financial constraints, lack of human resources, cultural barriers, negative publicity, and negative perceptions on malaria.

The role of social marketing theory in assessing insecticide-treated net usage intentions among pregnant women in Ghana

“…The low utilisation of the ITNs and the increasing number of malaria cases in pregnant women in Ghana suggests that the current widespread distribution of ITNs in maternity clinics and communities may not necessarily result in their use unless it is supported by behaviour modification initiatives that address beliefs and misconceptions regarding the ITN. However, previous studies on malaria prevention have focused on the burden of malaria, drug efficacy and effectiveness, education and communication, neglecting behavioural change as a critical strategy to malaria prevention (Ahorlu et al , 2005; Tweneboah-Koduah et al , 2012; Adjah and Panayiotou, 2014). Therefore, the current study uses the integrative model of behavioural prediction (IMBP) to predict ITN usage intention among pregnant women in Ghana.…”

“…However, understanding why people behave the way they do and understanding when and under what conditions they are prepared to change is critical to achieving this objective (Luca and Suggs, 2013; Tweneboah-Koduah, 2014). This is because behaviour change entails understanding people and their motives and formulating strategies that will result in a meaningful change (Tweneboah-Koduah et al , 2012). Behaviour change theories play an essential role in this regard (Luca and Suggs, 2013).…”

Social marketing: Using the health belief model to understand breast cancer protective behaviours among women

“…SMIPs are more successful when they are grounded in the appropriate health behaviour change models (Andreasen, 1994;Fraze, Rivera-Trudeau, & McElroy, 2007). The extant literature indicated that in Ghana, the limited numbers of research carried out on social marketing (SM) have concentrated mostly on HIV/AIDS (Adu-Mireku, 2003;Tweneboah-Koduah & Owusu-Frimpong, 2013), contraceptives, and condom use (Addai, 1999;Tawiah, 1997), alcohol and drug use (Doku, Koivusilta, & Rimpelä, 2012), and malaria (Tweneboah-Koduah, Braimah, & Otuo, 2012 (BCI, 2015). These programmes were mainly to change the behaviour of Ghanaian women by creating awareness on breast cancer and encouraging women to undertake regular self and clinical examination as well as seek early treatment.…”

Impact of malaria related messages on insecticide-treated net (ITN) use for malaria prevention in Ghana

“…Various communication strategies have been implemented so far in order to promote the prevention and control of malaria at both the community [5] and the individual level [6]. Ghana officially adopted the use of treated nets as a vector control programme in 2004 [7] and with the help of The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria, The US President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) and the World Bank, about 2.4 million procured ITNs were distributed to Ghanaian households in 2007, which led to about 30% of households in Ghana owning a net [1].…”