Background:
In April and May 2002, telephone surveys were conducted with 2010 married men (aged 15-49) and 2010 married women (aged 15-49). Half lived in rural areas; half lived in an urban area. In addition, 402 health providers were interviewed.
Examples from most recent independent evaluation: March 2003
Access:
27% of respondents had watched the drama. Of those:
- 56% were women and 43% were men
- 70% of the respondents were from urban areas and 30% from rural areas
- 42% watched less than 5 episodes; 16% watched between 5 and 9 episodes; 30% watched 10 to 24 episodes; 3% watched more than 20 episodes; and 9% could not recall how many episodes they had watched
- 54% watched Health Talk sessions.
62% of service providers had seen the drama. 27% of them heard about the drama from their wives, 34% heard about it from their colleagues, and 27% heard about it from their children. 18% of the respondents had watched less than 5 episodes of the drama, 16% of them watched 5 to 9 episodes, and 15% watched 10 to 14 episodes.
Knowledge shifts:
- Two-thirds of viewers could recognise the logos of health centres, as compared to 24% of non-viewers.
- More viewers correctly mention the services available in Smiling Sun clinics. For example, 43% of viewers, as compared to 27% of non-viewers, were aware that these clinics provide general health care services. Twice as many viewers as non-viewers were aware that the clinics offer family planning services.
- More viewers than non-viewers are aware that newborn babies should be given colostrum right after birth. They are also more aware of pre-delivery preparations, and pre- and post-delivery complications. In addition, viewers are more aware that delivery should be performed either by trained birth attendants or doctors.
- Viewers are more aware about the sources of information regarding different diseases and problems among children, and are more aware of the symptoms of pneumonia and polio.
- 69% of viewers, compared to 35% of non-viewers, knew that night blindness is caused by vitamin-A deficiency.
- 43% of viewers stated that they had learned something from the quiz sessions, such as how to take care of pregnant mothers (28%), health-related information (26%), child immunisation (26%), proper care of children (16%), family planning (15%), and Smiling Sun clinics (6%).
Attitudes:
77% of the viewers of the drama said that children who have pneumonia should be taken to doctors, as compared to 74% of non-viewers. Most viewers (87%) believe that Smiling Sun clinics are "an ideal place for family planning and health care services".
Among service providers, 86% said they had learned something from the drama. Among this group, 71% vowed to provide sincere services to patients, 26% vowed to be patient when providing services, 13% vowed to provide proper advice, and 12% vowed to provide services to pregnant women.
Practices:
- More viewers than non-viewers visited clinics and doctors for treatment. Twice as many respondents (14%) who had watched the drama had received services from Smiling Sun clinics than those who had not seen (7%) the drama. 9% of viewers had actually visited a Smiling Sun clinic after being inspired by the drama.
- 93% of viewers and 86% of the non-viewers had given the polio vaccine to their children.
- 70% of viewers had received antenatal care (ANC) services during their last pregnancy, as compared to 48% of non-viewers. 58% of non-viewers, versus 41% of viewers, said they had taken "no preparations" in advance of their last pregnancy.
- Viewers said the show had inspired them to give up bad habits, as follows: untidiness (34%), smoking (20%), rude behaviour toward their wives (13%), going to brothels (7%).
- Slightly more viewers than non-viewers use some type of family planning method.
For full evaluation and more information, contact:
Bangladesh Center for Communication Programs
House 3A, Road 74, Gulshan 2
Dhaka-1212, Bangladesh
Tel.: 880-2-9893362, 9891354
info@bangladesh-ccp.org
Click here to download the full evaluation in PDF format
Bangladesh Center for Communication Programs
Source
Letter sent from Rezwan Alam to the Communication Initiative on July 3 2003; and "Evaluation of Smiling Sun Campaign" [PDF]; and Bangladesh Center for Communication Programs website.
Click here to access a related peer-reviewed summary "Bangladesh Center for Communication Programs" on the Health e Communication website, and to participate in peer review.
Click here to access a related peer-reviewed summary "Evaluation of the Smiling Sun Campaign" on the Health e Communication website, and to participate in peer review.
More viewers than non-viewers are aware that newborn babies should be given colostrum right after birth. They are also more aware of pre-delivery preparations, and pre- and post-delivery complications. In addition, viewers are more aware that delivery should be performed either by trained birth attendants or doctors.
Viewers are more aware about the sources of information regarding different diseases and problems among children, and are more aware of the symptoms of pneumonia and polio
69% of viewers, compared to 35% of non-viewers, knew that night blindness is caused by vitamin-A deficiency
43% of viewers stated that they had learned something from the quiz sessions, such as how to take care of pregnant mothers (28%), health-related information (26%), child immunisation (26%), proper care of children (16%), family planning (15%), and Smiling Sun clinics (6%).
77% of the viewers of the drama said that children who have pneumonia should be taken to doctors, as compared to 74% of non-viewers. Most viewers (87%) believe that Smiling Sun clinics are "an ideal place for family planning and health care services".
93% of viewers and 86% of the non-viewers had given the polio vaccine to their children
43% of viewers stated that they had learned something from the quiz sessions, such as how to take care of pregnant mothers (28%), health-related information (26%), child immunisation (26%), proper care of children (16%), family planning (15%), and Smiling Sun clinics (6%).
More viewers than non-viewers visited clinics and doctors for treatment. Twice as many respondents (14%) who had watched the drama had received services from Smiling Sun clinics than those who had not seen (7%) the drama. 9% of viewers had actually visited a Smiling Sun clinic after being inspired by the drama
70% of viewers had received antenatal care (ANC) services during their last pregnancy, as compared to 48% of non-viewers. 58% of non-viewers, versus 41% of viewers, said they had taken "no preparations" in advance of their last pregnancy
Viewers said the show had inspired them to give up bad habits, as follows: untidiness (34%), smoking (20%), rude behaviour toward their wives (13%), going to brothels (7%
43% of viewers stated that they had learned something from the quiz sessions, such as how to take care of pregnant mothers (28%), health-related information (26%), child immunisation (26%), proper care of children (16%), family planning (15%), and Smiling Sun clinics (6%).
More viewers than non-viewers visited clinics and doctors for treatment. Twice as many respondents (14%) who had watched the drama had received services from Smiling Sun clinics than those who had not seen (7%) the drama. 9% of viewers had actually visited a Smiling Sun clinic after being inspired by the drama
Viewers said the show had inspired them to give up bad habits, as follows: untidiness (34%), smoking (20%), rude behaviour toward their wives (13%), going to brothels (7%