DEFINITION, PRINCIPLES AND METHODS OF BEHAVIOURAL

CHANGE COMMUNICATION
By
UNACHUKWU NDUBUISI FRANKLIN
REG NO: ASCONS/NUR/2023/073

Presented
to:
The Department of Nursing
Anambra State College of Nursing Sciences, Nkpor

ASCONS - NIGERIA

Under the Supervision of:

MRS OKIGBO JANE

Anambra State, Nigeria

September 10, 2024

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BEHAVIOURAL CHANGE
COMMUNICATION
DEFINITION
Behavioural Change Communication (BBC) is an interactive process
of any intervention with individuals, group or community to
develop communication strategies to promote positive health
behaviours which are appropriate to the current social conditions
and thereby help the society to solve their pressing health
problems.
BCC simply refers to the strategic use of communications to
encourage individuals and communities to adopt healthier
and more sustainable practices.
The approach uses a critical discernment of people’s behaviour
and then aligns it with persuasive communication methodologies.
Effective BCC requires, on the one hand, a strong knowledge of
how individuals and communities think and act and, on the other,
the customization of messages and communication activities
based on those observed needs and local realities. The tailored
messages are then disseminated through various selected
channels of communication, such as peer-to-peer, group, and mass
media to bring about positive changes in behaviour regarding
specific challenges. Take for example, in the water sector, BCC
has been heavily applied in the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene
(WASH) space (Dreibelbis et al., 2013), and to a lesser extent
in irrigation (Blackstock et al., 2010) and disaster risk
management (Bubeck et al., 2012).
Behaviour change does not happen overnight, it requires sustained
efforts by multiple stakeholders working at different levels. For
instance, as the rate of non-communicable diseases is alarmingly
increasing, Behaviour Change Communication becomes a vital
pillar of health care. Proper behaviour communication strategies
help the people to get adequate knowledge on proper health
care and initiate ample actions to lead a healthy life. Moreover,
BCC activities make aware the people to understand the risk of
current living styles and help them to shift to a healthy living
style. Hence an organized and effective behaviour change
communication system will decrease the rate of various diseases
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among the people.

PRINCIPLES OF BEHAVIOURAL CHANGE COMMUNICATION

An effective BCC campaign for behaviour change and positive
health outcome in the individual and community level requires
an efficacious strategy and planning. The following principles
therefore, act as a guide during such communication.
1. Research and Assessment: The first step to a successful
Behavioural Change Communication program is doing an
extensive research and assessment about the target
audience and their needs which help us identify the issues to
be addressed, the severity of the problems, issues that may
hinder changes, and knowledge, skills, and attitudes of the
target audience. This is also the stage where we decide the
message and the medium for dissemination to the specific
target groups.
2. Design and Strategy: Design and strategy are the pillars
in a BCC program as they help define the project’s
objectives and ways to achieve them, apart from fostering
implementation, monitoring, and evaluation plans.
Designing and strategy for an effective behaviour change
communication should be specific, measurable, appropriate,
realistic and time-bound.
3. Developing BCC materials: The messages should be
tailored catering to the needs of the target audience. It should
be done keeping in mind the target audiences’ unawareness
about their harmful behaviours, and conveyed in such a
way that they evaluate their own behaviour for change. The
messages should be concise, easy to understand, and
delivered in a manner that it directly applies to them and
their behaviour.
4. Pretesting: Once the Behavioural Change Communication
materials and the messages are all set, pre-testing should
be done for its effectiveness and motivation for change. To
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 do so, conduct design workshops involving key stakeholders,
field workers, and members of the intended audience. Then
conduct a test to determine if the products meet the needs
of the audience, the message is clear and easy to remember
and socially and culturally appropriate.
5. Implementation and Monitoring: Implementation
involves the distribution of materials, solving problems,
and training key players with the necessary skills for
handling the project. Monitoring is about tracking existing
statistics related to the targeted behaviour, tracking
outputs to ensure that materials are utilized as planned with
desired effects, and tracking the reaction of the target
audience to ensure that they are motivated by the materials
to change their behaviour.
6. Evaluation and feedback: After every stage of
implementation, evaluation should be done on the
development and progress being made. This evaluation will
help us understand whether the materials have assisted in
achieving the desired change in terms of knowledge, attitude,
and behaviour in the target audience. It will also help us
identify the lessons learned, where our program is weak
and needs revision, and where it is strong and should be
replicated. Feedbacks from the target groups and
stakeholders are absolute necessities as based on these
feedbacks, new sets of knowledge can be incorporated into the
participant’s lives thus laying the foundation for new sets of
behaviour.
7. Conclusion: A successful BCC program requires extensive
participation of the target population and stakeholders in
all its stages of development and implementation,
especially in the designing stage. The support of the
government, health agencies, law enforcement, community
leaders and active participation of the target participants is
key to running a successful BCC campaign. And this support
is especially vital for promoting and sustenance of new

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 behaviour as an individual gradually contemplates,
prepares, takes action and maintains the newly acquired
behaviour. This gradual change is not fixed as the
individuals may relapse at any stage, thus calling for
constant support. An individual needs a supportive
environment for maintaining and sustaining positive
changes. This can be done by reducing environmental
conditions that support negative behaviours and increasing
the conditions that support positive or desired results.

METHODS TO ACHIEVE BEHAVIORAL CHANGE

COMMUNICATION IN HEALTH EDUCATION

Here are some methods of behavioral change communication

in health education:
1. Counseling: One-on-one or group sessions to educate
and motivate individuals to adopt healthy behaviors.
2. Demonstrations: Visual demonstrations of healthy
practices, such as proper hand washing or exercise
techniques.
3. Group discussions: Facilitated conversations to share
information, experiences, and concerns.
4. Health fairs: Community events offering health
screenings, education, and resources.
5. Interpersonal communication: Personalized
communication through home visits, phone calls, or text
messages.
6. Mass media campaigns: Using television, radio, social
media, or print materials to reach large audiences.
7. Peer education: Training individuals to educate and
support their peers in adopting healthy behaviors.
8. Role-playing: Acting out scenarios to demonstrate
healthy behaviors and decision-making.
9. Social support groups: Group meetings for individuals
with shared experiences or goals.
10. Storytelling: Sharing personal narratives to

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 illustrate the impact of healthy behaviors.
11. Visual aids: Using posters, videos, or info graphics
to convey health messages.
12. Workshops: Interactive sessions providing hands-on
training and education.
13. Incentives: Offering rewards or incentives for
achieving health-related goals or milestones.
14. Mobile health (mHealth) interventions: Using
mobile devices to deliver health messages, reminders, or
support.
15. Participatory communication: Involving
individuals or communities in the planning, design, and
implementation of health education programs.
16. Tailored communication: Personalizing health
messages and interventions to individual needs and
characteristics.
17. Community-based Participatory Research
(CBPR): Collaborating with communities to design,
conduct, and disseminate health research and education
programs.

When we achieve effective behavioral change communication

in health education, we can expect numerous benefits,
including:

A. Improved health outcomes: Positive changes in

behavior lead to better health status and reduced risk of
chronic diseases.
B. Increased knowledge and awareness: Enhanced
understanding of healthy practices and disease
prevention.
C. Empowerment and confidence: Individuals gain
control over their health and develop self-efficacy.
D. Behavioral sustainability: Long-term maintenance of
healthy behaviors.
E. Community engagement and social support :

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 Stronger social connections and support networks.
F. Reduced healthcare costs: Preventive measures and
early interventions lead to cost savings.
G. Stronger health systems: Effective behavioral change
communication contributes to a more efficient and
responsive healthcare system.

By achieving effective behavioral change communication, we

can create a healthier, more informed, and empowered
population, leading to a better quality of life and reduced
healthcare burden.

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