Behaviour Change Interventions Targeting Urban Youths

In September 2013, Health Communication Capacity Collaborative (HC3) reviewed over 90 articles and programme reports from 2003-2013 to examine sexual and reproductive health (SRH) behavioural drivers, barriers, and contextual factors, as well as identify social and behaviour change communication (SBCC) interventions with a focus on urban populations.

Most of the reproductive health interventions reviewed were found to have a positive effect on the knowledge and attitudes of the young people (aged 15 and older), but effects on behaviour were not as consistent. The most successful strategies/interventions included:

• "Adaptation of content/approach to culture and social context," since attitudes toward sexual behaviour and permissiveness vary across cultures and ethnic groups within countries;
  • Be aware of modal beliefs and norms and the strengthening of cultural cohesion in the community.
  • Assess different information needs for subgroups and identify individuals who are best suited to help formulate and disseminate culturally appropriate messages.
  • Identifying community members who agree and who disagree with intervention messages helps to target messages more successfully.
  • Identify appropriate information sources (such as social technologies, social media) for young, urban adolescents.
• Decision-making processes that empower youth to make choices;
  • Peer education was found to not be particularly successful on its own as an education/outreach strategy and should be a component of "a larger, comprehensive, behaviour change strategy including youth-friendly services, condom distribution, community involvement, communication materials, and structural approaches." Peers can distribute information and make appropriate referrals to specialist services.
• Demonstrations on how to use a condom (although consistent condom use levels are still low);
• Accounting for gender differences in both behaviour and risk factors.