Perceptions Regarding Healthy and Unhealthy Families: Formative Research to Inform Health Communication Interventions in Malawi

• In Event: ICA Plenary Interactive Paper/Poster Session and Reception
  In Interactive Paper Session: Health Communication Interactive Poster Session

Abstract

Background
This qualitative study was conducted to gain insight into Malawian men’s and women’s perceptions of “healthy families” and the “good life” in anticipation of designing effective health communication programs.
Methodology
32 focus group discussions and 49 key informant interviews were conducted in Chitipa, Nsanje, Phalombe and Salima Districts.
Results
Healthy families were identified as those with well-nourished, educated parents, two children, living in a clean environment. The main barriers to the good life were structural -- poverty, food insecurity, and lack of access to hygienic conditions, education, and health services. Several individual-level behaviors were also seen as problematic.

Conclusions
Participants tended to be positive and focus on actions that could be taken at the community, family and individual levels even as they identified many structural factors that impede health and access to the good life. These findings informed the design of communication interventions, as described in this manuscript.

Authors

• Carol R. Underwood, Johns Hopkins U

• Dziko Chatata, Johns Hopkins U

• Jane Brown, Johns Hopkins U

• Thomas Ofem, Johns Hopkins U

• Fayyaz Ahmad, Johns Hopkins U