Abstract

This study compared the effect of the mass media and interpersonal communication on behavior change during a 1995-96 family planning (FP) and reproductive health communication campaign in Bolivia. The introductory sections of the report describe the Bolivian context and review the relevant literature. It is noted that the current study 1) uses diffusion principles to specify behavior change steps and reproductive health indicators (awareness, detailed knowledge, attitudes, intention, interpersonal communication, and FP method use) expected to be influenced by the mass media campaign and 2) compares the relative influences of mass media and personal networks on these steps. The specific hypotheses tested were that 1) campaign exposure will be associated with increases in awareness of, knowledge of, attitude toward, and intention to practice contraction; 2) personal network exposure will be associated with increases in the steps to behavior changes; and 3) the multiplicative influence of campaign and personal network exposure will be positively associated with the steps to behavior change. The next sections describe the 1995-96 reproductive health campaign and the study methodology. Because the main terms of the mass media campaign and personal network exposure were associated with behavior change but the multiplicative interaction term was not, further analysis revealed that the mass media campaign had more effect on individuals with personal networks composed of few contraceptive users than on those with more users.

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• Mass media and interpersonal influence in a reproductive health communication campaign in Bolivia.