Grass-root health education strategies in Malawi

Tembo, K.C.

doi:10.1177/146642409511500512

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…If a song is liked, people will readily memorize the lyrics, hum the tune, teach it to others and talk about it as well. For this reason especially, songs and stories have been used for communicating health messages to promote maternal and child health, nutrition, sanitation and hygiene at pediatric and antenatal clinics throughout the developing world (Tembo, 1995).…”

Section: Repeatabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Songs and Storytelling: Bringing Health Messages to Life in Uganda

Silver

2001

Education for Health: Change in Learning & Practice

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In villages without doctors and hospitals in the remote eastern Ugandan district of Pallisa, traditional birth attendants and mothers are solving the most serious health problems through the teaching power of songs and stories. The village's rich oral tradition was enlisted as the principal means not only for transmitting these important health messages, but also for supporting their practice throughout the community. Utilizing existing community traditions such as songs and storytelling offers culturally appropriate ways of enhancing the communications component of the health care system to make it serve the poor majority in a readily comprehensible, credible, affordable, and accessible form. These non-formal active-learning methods are highly compatible with and promotive of the general principles of primary health care, especially for their empowering, participatory and sustainable qualities. It is only a natural extension for health educators to more fully employ the use of the time-honored oral traditions of songs and storytelling as a vehicle for communicating health messages. For students in the health professions, awareness of these proven principles for engaging people at the local levels will contribute to more effective training, strategic program design, and advocacy.

show abstract

Section: Repeatabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Songs and Storytelling: Bringing Health Messages to Life in Uganda

Silver

2001

Education for Health: Change in Learning & Practice

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Although messages through EE and mass media had limited reach to the female members of the community, women who did attend EE could easily relate the situations played out with their own lives and perceived realities. BCC through drama and songs was also a very popular mode of communication reported in other studies [ 13 ]. Research also confirmed EE and mass media as highly acceptable and effective for audiences with limited formal education [ 59 – 62 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…However, more recently men have been recognised as important partners in sexual and reproductive health and in child care [ 10 , 11 ]. Long-term behavioural change among marginalized groups is limited as a result of education only [ 12 ] whereas health communication through a variety of media has been found to be effective in both increasing knowledge and facilitating behavioural change [ 13 , 14 ]. Reaching the marginalised poor with a carefully designed programme to change health related behaviour is considered essential for any effective health system [ 15 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Community perceptions of behaviour change communication interventions of the maternal neonatal and child health programme in rural Bangladesh: an exploratory study

Rahman

Leppard

Rashid

et al. 2016

BMC Health Serv Res

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

BackgroundThis qualitative study explored community perceptions of the components of the behaviour change communication (BCC) intervention of the BRAC Improving Maternal, Neonatal and Child Survival (IMNCS) programme in rural Bangladesh.MethodsSemi-structured interviews, key informant interviews, focus group discussions and informal group discussions were conducted to elicit community views on interpersonal communication (IPC), printed materials, entertainment education (EE) and mass media, specifically (a) acceptance of and challenges presented by different forms of media, (b) comprehensibility of terms; printed materials and entertainment education and (c) reported influence of BCC messages.ResultsIMNCS BCC interventions are well accepted by the community people. IPC is considered an essential aspect of everyday life and community members appreciate personal interaction with the BRAC community health workers. Printed materials assisted in comprehension and memorization of messages particularly when explained by community health workers (CHW) during IPC. Enactment of maternal, neonatal and child health (MNCH) narratives and traditional musical performances in EE helped to give deep insight into life’s challenges and the decision making that is inherent in pregnancy, childbirth and childcare. EE also improved memorization of the messages. Some limitations were identified in design of illustrations which hampered message comprehension. Some respondents were unable to differentiate between pregnancy, delivery and postpartum danger signs. Furthermore some women were afraid to view the illustrations of danger signs as they believed seeing that might be associated with the development of these complications in their own lives. Despite these barriers, participants stated that the IMNCS BCC interventions had influenced them to take health promoting decisions and seek MNCH services.ConclusionsCommunity based maternal and newborn programmes should revise BCC interventions to strengthen IPC, using rigorously tested print materials as aids and stand-alone media. Messages about birth preparedness (especially savings), recognition of danger signs and immediate self-referral to biomedical health services should be carefully aligned and effectively delivered to women, men and older members of the community. Messaging should utilize gendered storyline and address the seasonal cycles of conception, birth, antenatal, post-natal care and childhood illnesses. Future research should identify how best to combine IPC, printed materials, traditional cultural forms, and incorporate use of social media and mass media in different field situations.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12913-016-1632-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

show abstract

“…Similar studies by Huang J and Tembo KC have found that provision of services alone can not raise the need and utilization of services unless there is motivation. (67)…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%