Encouraging Counseling that Promotes Meaningful Choice: Behavioral Design for Provider Behavior Change in Family Planning Services in Malawi

The project conducted formative research to systematically define a behavioral problem, drawing from health facility observations, interviews with key stakeholders, and discussions with partners. These insights led Breakthrough ACTION to develop the following behavioral problem statement: Providers do not counsel postpartum women on the full range of contraceptive methods in a way that women internalize. We want providers to consistently provide comprehensive FP counseling that resonates with their clients.

The problem statement is based on the formative research which found that:

• Providers often fail to offer FP counseling that clearly conveys the advantages and disadvantages of all methods in a way that supports a meaningful, informed choice
• Women receiving counseling reported feeling uncertain about whether a method is suitable for their unique FP needs

The team developed seven “diagnoses” regarding the problem statement and these diagnoses provided insights into how to support providers in offering FP counseling in a way that promotes meaningful client choice. Five solutions were developed in order to expand the range of interactions in which counseling might occur and to encourage providers to counsel on all methods and account for individual client preferences.

Source: Breakthrough ACTION/Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, Ideas42

Date of Publication: June 23, 2020