Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Social and Behavioral Change Communication on Project Performance: A Case Study of Mitigate the impact of the epidemic, Understand the dynamics, Leverage resources and Unite efforts to reduce the incidence of HIV in Ethiopia
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Date
2024-10
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Background: Evaluating the impacts of SBCC interventions is crucial, given the limited evidence on their effectiveness in the context of FSWs. This paper focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of SBCC on project performance. The research is intended to answer the questions; How effective is SBCC intervention? To what extent is the project achieving its desired objectives? And What are the primary challenges and key insights gained during the execution of the program? Methods: The proposed research design for this study employed a descriptive research design, integrating both qualitative and quantitative methodologies to comprehensively investigate the effectiveness of SBCC intervention in the case of USAID funded MULU KP Project in selected KP facilities of Addis Ababa and Central Oromia from May 17-25,2024. Primary data was gathered from 352 project beneficiaries through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs), supplemented by 20 self-administered questionnaires for project employees. For project beneficiaries, simple random sampling was used, whereas purposive sampling technique was employed for project employees working under USAID MULU KP. Secondary data was also obtained from BCC formats, clinical registers and Comm Care to evaluate the project achievement against the expected outcome. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 26 to conduct descriptive analysis (mean, range, SD). Significance: The study has the potential to significantly improve HIV/AIDS prevention and care for female sex workers (FSWs), considering their heightened vulnerability to the HIV pandemic. Its findings could offer crucial insights for donors, guiding resource allocation towards the most impactful strategies for addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic among FSWs. Understanding the impact of SBCC on various stages of the HIV treatment cascade could greatly enhance the implementation of HIV treatment projects, leading to improved health outcomes and contributing substantially to global efforts to achieve the 90-90-90 targets. Results: The findings indicated that the SBCC project was not effective in meeting its objectives as the intervention only contributed 50% for clinical service uptake despite the project expectation of more than 70%. The project showed notable strengths in areas such as project planning, stakeholder commitment to project success and team member competence. However, it also encountered challenges in achieving the desired project performance due to notable budget constraints, the mobility of target beneficiaries, inconsistent commitment from project leadership and quality issues.
Conclusions: The SBCC project implemented by USAID MULU KP positively impacted the target population by increasing awareness about HIV and other STIs, promoting safer sexual practices, and encouraging beneficiaries to seek HIV testing and treatment services. Nevertheless, the project's overall performance was hindered by several challenges, such as budget limitations, logistical difficulties, and inconsistent commitment from project leadership.
Key Words: Female Sex Workers, Social Behavioral Communication, Ethiopia