Impact analysis of the relationship between a family planning radio initiative (the Radio Communication Project (RCP) Nepal, membership in radio listening groups, and family planning outcomes.

The Radio Communication Project (RCP) Nepal is an integrated mass media entertainment-education campaign that was designed to generate demand for family planning services and improve service-provider quality. The RCP employed a combination of mass media messages, distance education and interpersonal communication and counselling (IPC/C) training programmes. The mass media component included a dramatic radio serial entitled "Cut Your Coat According to Your Cloth", which is the source of the mass media messages for this study.

Evaluation Groups:

• Group 1: Respondents who are exposed to both the radio programme and the listening groups (N = 204).
• Group 2: Respondents who are exposed only to the radio programme (N = 73).
• Group 3: Respondents not exposed to either the radio programme or the listening groups (N = 131).

The data used in this study came from an evaluation survey conducted in the Parbatipur and Fulbari VDCs in Chitwan district of Nepal. There were 408 respondents to the survey equally divided between the VDCs of Fulbari and Parbatipur. All respondents who were members of listeners groups were residents of Fulbari VDC, while the residents of Parbatipur were used as a control group. The goal of the researchers in this study was to compare participants of radio listening groups with the people exposed to the radio campaign only and those who were totally unexposed to the campaign.

In addition to the different groups as the main independent variable, the researchers controlled for a variety of socio-demographic characteristics including sex, caste, education, occupation, and the number of surviving sons and daughters. This last measurement was thought to be important because of a strong preference for sons in rural Nepalese society and the suspected effect that it might have on contraceptive usage.

Discussed family planning: with either spouse or others

• Group 1 - 92.2%
• Group 2 - 84.9%
• Group 3 - 72.5%

Recommended family planning to others

• Group 1 - 91.2%
• Group 2 - 90.9%
• Group 3 - 86.5%

Interpersonal Communication: The authors' results suggest that exposure to the radio programme is positively associated with discussion about family planning with one's spouse only when it is combined with listening groups. Group 1 respondents were over three times more likely to discuss family planning methods with their spouses, and were most likely to discuss with friends and/or relatives. Schooling was also relevant with respect to the likelihood of having discussions with others.

Knowledge: At least five modern methods (spontaneous recall)

• Group 1 - 55.9%
• Group 2 - 49.3%
• Group 3 - 16.0%
• Group 2 respondents were five times more likely, and Group 1 respondents over six times more likely to spontaneously recall at least five modern methods of contraception.
• Group 1 respondents were significantly more likely to know about all the individual methods except male sterilisation.

Mulitvariate Regression
Exposure to the radio programmes and to listening groups was positively related to knowledge about modern methods of family planning. Group 2 respondents were 3.5 times more likely and Group 1 respondents over 8 times more likely than those who were exposed to neither to spontaneously recall at least five modern methods of family planning. Women and those engaged in agricultural occupations were somewhat less likely.

Approval of Family Planning: Both self and spouse

• Group 1 - 93.6%
• Group 2 - 95.9%
• Group 3 - 88.5%

Overall, approval was very high in all study groups (97.8%), and thus intervention exposure was unrelated. However, the authors found that having more male offspring was significantly associated with a positive attitude toward family planning.

Current Use: Any modern method

• Group 1 - 80.9%
• Group 2 - 74.0%
• Group 3 - 67.2%

Current Use: Male sterilisation (this was the most common method of all respondents)

• Group 1 - 53.4%
• Group 2 - 50.7%
• Group 3 - 55.0%

Men and women who were exposed to both the radio programme and the listening groups (Group 1) were twice as likely to currently use a modern method of contraception. Intention to use contraception in the future did not vary by level of intervention (though the authors observe that this is to expected given the higher current usage rate in intervention communities).

Current use was significant only for exposure to a combination of radio programme and listening groups, suggesting that media exposure alone is not significantly connected with current use of modern contraceptives. Persons who had at least one or more surviving sons were significantly more likely to use a modern method of contraception.