Login as a ‘Guest’ on April 23, 2015 at 10 AM: https://connect.johnshopkins.edu/household-surveys-malaria-sbcc/
*This webinar will be recorded and sent out to participants after the event.*
April 25 marks World Malaria Day 2015, a time for people around the globe to mobilize around the theme “Invest in the Future: Defeat Malaria.” Increased investment in malaria prevention and treatment has helped drop the global burden from malaria disease – contributing to a 30 percent reduction in malaria incidence and a 47 percent reduction in malaria mortality since 2000. Investment in malaria social and behavior change communication (SBCC) has also contributed to this success, as malaria SBCC activities are shown to improve the awareness, attitudes and behaviors of its target audiences.
Malaria SBCC, however, still has a way to go. More research is needed to improve our understanding of how to best develop and deliver targeted communication campaigns that effectively address attitudes and behaviors. Additionally, research findings need to be disseminated in ways that are accessible to health practitioners and decision-makers to ensure that malaria SBCC programs are informed by research and resources are invested in evidence-based strategies.
Join HC3 on Thursday, April 23 at 10 AM EDT for: Using Household Surveys to Inform Malaria SBCC
This webinar will examine the ways that household surveys can be used to establish the evidence base for malaria SBCC and promote data-driven decision-making. First, we’ll discuss the findings of a national survey in Madagascar that investigates how cognitive, emotional and social factors affect behavior. Then we’ll look at some methods for evaluating household survey data. Finally, we’ll explain how to interpret malaria indicators from national DHS/MIS surveys and address lessons learned in communicating data to the general public.
We anticipate that the webinar presentations will prompt discussion. To that end, we encourage questions and comments from participants.
Presenters:
Grace Awantang, MHS, MA
Ms. Awantang is a Senior Research Data Analyst at the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs (CCP). She has conducted formative and summative assessments of international development programs in South Africa, Haiti and Madagascar, employing both quantitative and qualitative methods. She taught high school biology as part of the Mississippi Teacher Corps before formally starting her career in international public health and before serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in South Africa’s HIV/AIDS Outreach program. In addition to her experience supporting and measuring organizational capacity, she has led the development of monitoring and evaluation systems in Haiti’s non-governmental sector. Her current work focuses on using survey methods to identify program priorities and evaluate the effects of social behavioral communication programs on ideation and behaviors related to malaria, family planning and maternal and child health.
Emily Ricotta, ScM
Ms. Ricotta is a Senior Research Assistant at CCP. She has ten years of research experience in molecular microbiology and epidemiology working with many different pathogens including Salmonella, Clostridium difficile, Haemophilus ducreyi, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and malaria. Before joining CCP, she was responsible for foodborne disease surveillance and outbreak investigation for the state of Maryland. Currently, Emily provides analytical support for multiple projects within CCP, specializing in study design and quantitative analysis. Additionally, she is involved with designing and implementing a monitoring system for an Ebola prevention communication campaign in Liberia. Emily obtained her Master of Science degree in molecular microbiology and immunology from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where she conducted research on malaria epidemiology in Macha, Zambia with the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute. She is pursuing her PhD in Epidemiology at the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, where her research will focus on mathematical modeling of malaria.
Sally Zweimueller, MPH
Ms. Zweimueller is a Communication Specialist at The DHS Program. She has been with The DHS Program since 2012, providing technical assistance for health survey dissemination. She has a Masters degree from the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University with a specialty in Global Health. Through The DHS Program, Sally has worked in Tanzania, Malawi, Jordan, Pakistan and Nigeria. Sally manages social media activities, created a malaria module in the DHS Curriculum and was co-author for a gender report, “Women’s Lives and Challenges: Equality and Empowerment since 2000.” She is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer of Malawi where she worked with FHI360’s Mkuta Mwana project.
