Shaping Demand and Practices to Improve Family Health Outcomes

Maternal and child health indicators have remained poor in India, with various factors contributing to continued mortality and morbidity. Communication strategies play a powerful role in addressing the barriers to, and shaping demand for, the adoption of preventive health practices. Based on an in-depth study, Shaping Demand and Practices to Improve Family Health Outcomes provides valuable information on family dynamics that could be used to develop a comprehensive behavior change communication (BCC) strategy on family health. The study focuses on increasing the adoption of eight family health behaviors that have a significant bearing on Millennium Development Goals 4 & 5. Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and conducted by experts in the field, it is perhaps for the first time that a BCC study has been designed on such a comprehensive scale. Unlike most BCC studies that are based on cognitive theories of behavior change, this study integrates the broader social context, media choices, program structure, and audience interaction that influence the target behaviors. This will be a valuable and timely resource for policy makers, program implementers, researchers, and field-level persons alike.