Think | BIG

Behavior Profile Sample: Birth Spacing

A Behavior Profile is a summary analysis of each behavior. This sample draws from global evidence and illustrates the result of using the Create Behavior Profiles Tool to analyze factors, supporting actors and strategies and to ensure logical pathways exist between strategies proposed and factors related to the practice of the behavior. This sample may be used as a starting point or reference for creating Behavior Profiles.

Create Behavior Profiles

Health Goal	Improve maternal and child survival
Accelerator Behavior	After a live birth, women or their partners use a modern contraceptive method to avoid pregnancy for at least 24 months Indicator: Percentage of currently married or in union women using family planning for spacing

Behavior Analysis	Strategy
STEPS What steps are needed to practice this behavior? Decide to use a modern contraceptive method Obtain family planning counseling from a qualified provider Select appropriate modern contraceptive method Obtain chosen method Use chosen method as instructed Click on any box to see the pathwaysA pathway illustrates how elements in the Behavior Profile are linked. When read from right to left, a pathway highlights how strategies are expected to address the factors to enable adoption of the Accelerator Behavior. of the behavior.	FACTORS What factors may prevent or support practice of this behavior? These should be analyzed for each country context. Structural Accessibility: Women and their partners do not have access to modern contraceptives because commodity supply is often irregular or sporadic, especially for certain methods Service Provider Competencies: Women and their partners do not receive guidance on birth spacing because some providers do not emphasize its importance in discussing family planning Service Provider Competencies: Women do not consult service providers about birth spacing because providers are sometimes rude, judgmental, and do not maintain confidentiality Social Norms: Women and their partners do not consider birth spacing or decide to use modern contraceptives because large families are often the norm and the risks of closely spaced births are not well-understood or accepted Family and Community Support: Women do not use modern contraceptives because community and religious leaders resist these on moral grounds (though they can be supportive of the concept of birth spacing) Gender: Women do not use modern contraceptives or practice birth spacing because men often see large families or a frequently pregnant partner as a sign of virility and strength Internal Attitudes and Beliefs: Women do not use modern contraceptives for birth spacing because they fear side effects Knowledge: Women and their partners do not practice birth spacing because they do not understand the benefits	SUPPORTING ACTORS AND ACTIONS Who must support the practice of this behavior? Institutional Logistics Personnel: Plan and manage contraceptive supplies to ensure consistent supply of stocked commodities Providers: Offer respectful care and comprehensive counseling on the benefits of birth spacing and other specific birth spacing messages Community Community Leaders: Publicly support birth spacing and seek out spaces to discuss with men and women both on the importance of healthy birth spacing Household Male Partners: Actively support wives to select and implement appropriate birth spacing method	POSSIBLE PROGRAM STRATEGIES How might we focus our efforts based on this analysis? Enabling Environment Partnerships and Networks: Extend commodity supply outlets via social franchising or community based distribution networks Partnerships and Networks: Use community and faith-based organizations, including places of worship, to share and discuss birth spacing Systems, Products and Services Supply Chain: Enhance use of Logistics Management Information Systems to better estimate contraceptive needs Quality Improvement: Expand birth spacing entry points into Integrated Management of Childhood Illness clinics, postnatal care, etc. Quality Improvement: Integrate specific birth spacing messages and communication skills into pre-service health worker curricula Demand and Use Advocacy : Develop birth spacing and Family Planning Advocacy Toolkit to garner support from different levels of leadership Communication: Use community open forums (with materials produced above) to discuss birth spacing services Communication: Produce and disseminate birth spacing materials to families that position birth spacing as the healthiest option for a family

Behavior Analysis

Strategy

STEPS

What steps are needed to practice this behavior?

Decide to use a modern contraceptive method
Obtain family planning counseling from a qualified provider
Select appropriate modern contraceptive method
Obtain chosen method
Use chosen method as instructed

Click on any box
to see the pathwaysA pathway illustrates how elements in the Behavior Profile are linked. When read from right to left, a pathway highlights how strategies are expected to address the factors to enable adoption of the Accelerator Behavior.
of the behavior.

FACTORS

What factors may prevent or support practice of this behavior? These should be analyzed for each country context.

Structural

Accessibility: Women and their partners do not have access to modern contraceptives because commodity supply is often irregular or sporadic, especially for certain methods

Service Provider Competencies: Women and their partners do not receive guidance on birth spacing because some providers do not emphasize its importance in discussing family planning

Service Provider Competencies: Women do not consult service providers about birth spacing because providers are sometimes rude, judgmental, and do not maintain confidentiality

Social

Norms: Women and their partners do not consider birth spacing or decide to use modern contraceptives because large families are often the norm and the risks of closely spaced births are not well-understood or accepted

Family and Community Support: Women do not use modern contraceptives because community and religious leaders resist these on moral grounds (though they can be supportive of the concept of birth spacing)

Gender: Women do not use modern contraceptives or practice birth spacing because men often see large families or a frequently pregnant partner as a sign of virility and strength

Internal

Attitudes and Beliefs: Women do not use modern contraceptives for birth spacing because they fear side effects

Knowledge: Women and their partners do not practice birth spacing because they do not understand the benefits

SUPPORTING ACTORS AND ACTIONS

Who must support the practice of this behavior?

Institutional

Logistics Personnel: Plan and manage contraceptive supplies to ensure consistent supply of stocked commodities

Providers: Offer respectful care and comprehensive counseling on the benefits of birth spacing and other specific birth spacing messages

Community

Community Leaders: Publicly support birth spacing and seek out spaces to discuss with men and women both on the importance of healthy birth spacing

Household

Male Partners: Actively support wives to select and implement appropriate birth spacing method

POSSIBLE PROGRAM STRATEGIES

How might we focus our efforts based on this analysis?

Enabling Environment

Partnerships and Networks: Extend commodity supply outlets via social franchising or community based distribution networks

Partnerships and Networks: Use community and faith-based organizations, including places of worship, to share and discuss birth spacing

Systems, Products and Services

Supply Chain: Enhance use of Logistics Management Information Systems to better estimate contraceptive needs

Quality Improvement: Expand birth spacing entry points into Integrated Management of Childhood Illness clinics, postnatal care, etc.

Quality Improvement: Integrate specific birth spacing messages and communication skills into pre-service health worker curricula

Demand and Use

Advocacy : Develop birth spacing and Family Planning Advocacy Toolkit to garner support from different levels of leadership

Communication: Use community open forums (with materials produced above) to discuss birth spacing services

Communication: Produce and disseminate birth spacing materials to families that position birth spacing as the healthiest option for a family

Download as PDF Download as PNG View Bibliography of Sources

Focus and Analyze finds pathways to change by capturing behavior profiles.

Design and Manage influences pathways to change by implementing a behavior-led social and behavior change strategy.

Track and Adapt gauges success along pathways to change by measuring behavioral outcomes.

Online and offline tools to implement a behavior-driven program.

Your full library of BIG guidance documents.

Birth Spacing

Key Points from Global Research