The Use of Communication Strategies in Maternal Health Promotion: A Case of Csos in the Wa Municipality

Abstract

Effective communication is just as important as the initiative to educate and inform women about maternal health issues. The purpose of this research was to examine the use of communication strategies by civil society organizations to promote maternal health in the Wa Municipality of the Upper West Region of Ghana. This was aimed at addressing the reasons why CSOs failed to make significant impact on maternal mortality rate in spite of the investments they have made in addressing the problem. Using the mixed-methods research design, primary data were collected from pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers (395) as survey respondents and civil society organizations (4), health promotion officers (1), and health officers (18) in Wa Municipality as qualitative participants. The quantitative data was collected using questionnaires and interviews for the qualitative data. The quantitative results were presented using descriptive statistics and a chi-square test of associations with a 95 percent confidence interval and thematic citations for the qualitative results. The study adopted the theory of reasoned action and health belief model. The study results showed that on maternal health, civil society organizations used the social behavior change communication strategies and community mobilization approach to deliver maternal health promotion messages to women of reproductive age in Wa Municipal. It was also found that reception of health messages was dependent on cultural beliefs and perceptions and as such, it prevents women from adopting positive behaviors related to maternal health. In conclusion, focus group discussions and interpersonal communication have been identified as the most effective communication strategies used to identify community issues and spread maternal health messages. The study therefore recommends the adoption of social behavior change communication by all development and government organizations in their maternal health promotion interventions. Also, focus group discussions and interpersonal communication techniques should be accorded with great importance in order to understand and reinforce attitudes.