Learn how we use evidence-based behaviour change campaigns to improve and save lives in low-income countries.
Learn about how DMI brings together two different worlds: demonstrable scientific practice and creative storytelling.
Location Eye health
DMI continually aspires to use our evidence-based methodology to improve health behaviours in new thematic areas. We therefore conducted a pilot project testing the efficacy of a high saturation radio campaign in increasing the uptake of reading glasses for those experiencing age-related long-sightedness (presbyopia) in Uganda.
Uganda
Eye health – promoting uptake of reading glasses for people aged over 37 experiencing presbyopia
10 x 60–second radio spots
Printed promotional materials
Supply of glasses
4 months broadcasting on 2 local radio stations in Kisoro and Koboko, 10 times a day, 7 days a week
350,000
Science
1.8 billion people worldwide experience presbyopia, the loss of reading vision due to age. The global unmet need sits at 45%, with those living in rural areas of low- and middle-income countries least likely to have access to reading glasses. A substantial number of people in our countries of operation are consequently suffering from avoidable vision impairments, impacting their ability to carry out daily tasks including work and childcare.
We are committed to applying our evidence-based methodology to other thematic areas. This pilot project tested whether a radio campaign could increase the uptake of reading glasses for those living with presbyopia. The project was carried out in four districts, with Kisoro and Koboko as intervention zones and Kabale and Kumi as control zones.
This is a unique project for DMI. In addition to venturing into a new thematic area, we addressed practical barriers as well as behavioural ones. For this project, we partnered with Vision Spring to supply pharmacies with sufficient stocks of reading glasses, then produced and broadcast radio spots to generate demand for the glasses.
Stories
For this campaign, our messages targeted adults over the age of 37 who were experiencing progressive loss of near vision with age.
Two important barriers identified through this campaign include:
As well as highlighting the practical barriers to accessing glasses, our formative research revealed that many people in the low-income target group have concerns that wearing glasses may be interpreted by others as a sign of vanity or that once you start wearing glasses, you cannot stop and become a “prisoner” of glasses. We identified the perception that glasses are for rich and/or educated people and are therefore not useful for farmers or those living in rural areas, where there is the belief that if someone wears glasses, they are showing off. Our campaign content sought to address such perceptions, as well as focusing on supply-side barriers like diagnosis, availability, and price.
In order to have a positive impact on eyehealth, our campaign made viewers aware of how to access our affordable glasses via local pharmacies, as well as the benefits of wearing glasses.
Saturation
A first for DMI, this campaign tackled both demand and supply-side problems. Our radio spots, broadcast in Rufumbira and Kakwa languages on two community radio stations, raised awareness, changed perceptions, and created demand for reading glasses.
As well as using radio broadcast to generate demand, we also tackled supply-side barriers to uptake. To tackle practical issues around access to reading glasses, DMI worked with VisionSpring to provide low-cost glasses to pharmacies in control and intervention zones. The intervention zones were exposed to the radio campaign broadcasts promoting the reading glasses for adults with presbyopia. We selected 16 pharmacies who sold glasses at a cost of approximately $2 USD, significantly lower than the market average price. We provided branding and promotional materials under the brand name ClearClear, which was placed at points of sale to further generate interest and demand. The branding was informed by the target audience during formative research.
Two districts were selected as intervention zones and community radio stations in those districts broadcast 60 second radio spots ten times per day, every day, targeting key behavioural barriers to the use of reading glasses. The remaining two districts were control zones where there was no broadcast of campaign materials.
Sales data were collected from four pharmacies in each district who were each provided with stocks of reading glasses by DMI. The pharmacies in the intervention zones sold 170% more glasses than those in the control zones over the course of the campaign.
The proportion of potential need met was estimated between 2-19% in intervention districts, which was 3-4x higher than in control areas.
Customers in intervention districts tended to travel greater distances to buy glasses from pharmacies compared to those from control districts (7.5km vs 3.7km, respectively).
Interestingly, nearly three-quarters of ClearClear customers were male, a pattern that was stronger in intervention than control areas.
We are grateful to the Livelihood Impact Fund for funding this campaign, and to VisionSpring for partnering with us to provide glasses.