Evaluation of the Effects of Smart Couple Digital Health Tool in Kaduna, Nigeria

This report presents findings from a quasi-experimental pre-post design trial designed to assess the effects of a digital health tool among couples of reproductive age in Kaduna City, Nigeria. Study participants included 670 women and 652 men who listened to an entertainment-education series on their mobile phones and then participated in the post-study survey.

Their responses to survey questions revealed very positive opinions about the Smart Couple tool and bivariate and fixed effects analyses of the data indicate that the tool positively influenced study participants. Nearly all the ideational and behavioral indicators assessed increased significantly with higher exposure to the tool. Specifically, the multivariable regression results indicate that compared to lower exposure level, higher exposure increased the odds of discussing family planning (FP) with one’s spouse 10-fold for women and more than 12-fold for men.

Similarly, higher exposure was associated with more than a nine-fold increase for women and almost 12-fold increase for men in the odds of discussing contraceptive methods with a spouse. In addition, a higher level of exposure to the tool was associated with an eight-fold increase for women and a four-fold increase for men in the odds of discussing the need to visit a FP provider with one’s spouse. Exposure to the tool was also associated with increased discussion of desired family size with one’s spouse. Compared to lower level of exposure, higher exposure level increased the odds of discussing family size by 170% for women and by 161% for men. Furthermore, higher exposure to the digital health tool increased support for women who used contraceptives by 94% for women and by 188% for men.

Source: Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs

Date of Publication: May 26, 2020