How we measure impact

We use baseline and endline surveys to generate evidence as to whether a campaign has had an impact. Sample sizes typically range from 1,000 to 5,000 (but in the case of our randomised controlled trial in Burkina Faso, we have gone much further, surveying 50,000 children at baseline and 100,000 at endline).

When measuring impact, we are looking to collect data at every stage of the process:

  • Did you hear or see the campaign?
  • Did your knowledge improve as a result of the campaign?
  • Did you change your behaviour as a result of this knowledge?
  • Did your health improve as a result of this behaviour change?

When working on child health campaigns, we can go one stage further and ask whether a child's life was saved as a result of the behaviour change.

 

 

 

Evidence of impact

The quality and size of the evidence base for the impact of mass media on health behaviours has been limited by the quality of evaluation designs in many cases. In particular:


How do we prove impact?

DMI and LSHTM are now testing the predictions of our model in a real-life setting. 


How we calculate impact

The impact of well-designed media campaigns on attitudes and behaviour has been conclusively demonstrated. But there has never been any attempt to measure or even to model the impact of campaigns on mortality.