Impact Data - Journey of Life Radio Show
Date
Methodologies
A final impact evaluation of the 26-week radio soap opera by researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health's Center for Communication Programs (CCP) surveyed 792 respondents before Journey of Life (JOL) aired and 662 of those same respondents after the show was broadcast.
Baseline:
Before JOL aired, most of the youth surveyed said they did not believe they were at risk for HIV infection.
Baseline:
Before JOL aired, most of the youth surveyed said they did not believe they were at risk for HIV infection.
Attitudes
Personal risk perception rose to 66.2% after listening to JOL. While almost all listeners (97.6%) believe that HIV/AIDS is a serious health threat in Ethiopia, they also believe strongly (96%) that they have the power to avoid HIV infection. Most respondents (86.6%) agreed or strongly agreed that after listening to JOL they wanted to change their lives for the better. Specifically, the vast majority of urban youth listeners (95.9%) said that JOL influenced them to protect themselves against HIV/AIDS. Females reported a stronger behavioural impact from JOL than males.
Most listeners (91%) reported that JOL positively influenced them to use family planning methods. 66.2% of urban youth surveyed in the final evaluation agreed that they were susceptible to HIV infection. Most listeners (95.1%) agreed that JOL made them believe there were effective ways to avoid HIV infection. Over 95% of the listeners said that JOL made them feel hopeful about avoiding HIV infection. Almost all of the listeners (97%) agreed that JOL made them believe that having children when they weren't ready was harmful. Females felt greater perceived severity than males from having children when they weren't ready. Female perceptions that they might have unwanted children if they didn't use family planning were more strongly influenced than male perceptions by JOL. About a quarter of the males (28%) felt increased susceptibility to having unwanted children due to JOL, while nearly double the percentage of females (51%) felt the same. JOL strongly influenced perceptions of self-efficacy with 97.6% of listeners saying the show made them believe they were able to use family planning. Most listeners (90.1%) said that JOL made them believe that family planning prevented one from having children unless one really wanted them.
Most listeners (91%) reported that JOL positively influenced them to use family planning methods. 66.2% of urban youth surveyed in the final evaluation agreed that they were susceptible to HIV infection. Most listeners (95.1%) agreed that JOL made them believe there were effective ways to avoid HIV infection. Over 95% of the listeners said that JOL made them feel hopeful about avoiding HIV infection. Almost all of the listeners (97%) agreed that JOL made them believe that having children when they weren't ready was harmful. Females felt greater perceived severity than males from having children when they weren't ready. Female perceptions that they might have unwanted children if they didn't use family planning were more strongly influenced than male perceptions by JOL. About a quarter of the males (28%) felt increased susceptibility to having unwanted children due to JOL, while nearly double the percentage of females (51%) felt the same. JOL strongly influenced perceptions of self-efficacy with 97.6% of listeners saying the show made them believe they were able to use family planning. Most listeners (90.1%) said that JOL made them believe that family planning prevented one from having children unless one really wanted them.
Increased Discussion of Development Issues
Over sixty percent of respondents reported talking with their friends about JOL episodes; 40.5% talked with their family about JOL episodes; 32.3% talked with a romantic partner about JOL episodes.
Access
Almost one in five (17.1%) urban youth surveyed reported having heard of JOL, while 15.7% of youth surveyed reported being listeners of the show. JOL was most popular in Amhara and the Southern Nations, Nationalities and People's Region (SNNPR), with a reported listenership of 24.6% and 25.4% respectively; JOL was least popular in Tigray (with only 4 listeners). Of those who listened to the programme, an average of 15 episodes were heard.
Other Impacts
Subjective Reactions:
Listeners (of all age groups) in the 2002 preliminary evaluation said that they related to the characters and the challenges they face in practising healthier behaviours. For example, one listener said she admired the resolve of one female character, Askale, to "stick to family planning in spite of her mother-in-law's constant nagging to have more children." Another listener said: "I know now that AIDS is transmitted through sexual intercourse. It also helped me to evaluate myself on the role I personally play to prevent and control the spread of HIV/AIDS."
Ninety-five percent of viewers judged the story quality to be very high; 85.9% called it entertaining; 85.9% said they wished it had lasted longer. A great majority (99.2%) of the respondents agreed or strongly agreed that JOL was educational. About 96.7% strongly agreed or agreed that they learned a lot about HIV/AIDS and family planning from JOL. Almost all of the listeners (95%) strongly agreed or agreed that JOL provided a lot of good information about HIV/AIDS and a similarly high percentage of listeners (93.4%) felt the same about family planning. More than half of the listeners (55.4%) indicated that JOL had a strong emotional impact on them.
Listeners (of all age groups) in the 2002 preliminary evaluation said that they related to the characters and the challenges they face in practising healthier behaviours. For example, one listener said she admired the resolve of one female character, Askale, to "stick to family planning in spite of her mother-in-law's constant nagging to have more children." Another listener said: "I know now that AIDS is transmitted through sexual intercourse. It also helped me to evaluate myself on the role I personally play to prevent and control the spread of HIV/AIDS."
Ninety-five percent of viewers judged the story quality to be very high; 85.9% called it entertaining; 85.9% said they wished it had lasted longer. A great majority (99.2%) of the respondents agreed or strongly agreed that JOL was educational. About 96.7% strongly agreed or agreed that they learned a lot about HIV/AIDS and family planning from JOL. Almost all of the listeners (95%) strongly agreed or agreed that JOL provided a lot of good information about HIV/AIDS and a similarly high percentage of listeners (93.4%) felt the same about family planning. More than half of the listeners (55.4%) indicated that JOL had a strong emotional impact on them.
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