Prevention and control of malaria depend, in part, on key services such as proper identification of suspected malaria cases, parasite-based diagnosis and treatment, and intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy (IPTp). Much of the time, however, these services are unsought, not provided at all, or are delivered in an incomplete or inconsistent manner. For example, provider distrust of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) and malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) can lead to nonadherence to clinical guidelines, while failure to submit reports in a timely fashion contributes to stock-outs. Moreover, perceptions of poor service quality, social barriers, and misconceptions can cause clients to delay care or discontinue treatment.
This document seeks to bridge silos by outlining some steps for approaching provider behavior change. A shared framework will facilitate mutual understanding, coordination, innovation, and synergy in malaria service delivery.
The Blueprint
The proposed steps are arranged in chronological order:
Step 1. Define the desired behavior.
Step 2. Defining priority provider groups.
Step 3. Identifying factors that affect behaviors.
Step 4. Involving users (providers and clients) in program design.
Step 5. Matching interventions to the factors uncovered.
Step 6. Using a holistic approach to monitoring and evaluation.
Why Use the Blueprint
Users of this document might find it useful for:
- Understanding how an SBC lens can benefit efforts to change provider behavior
- Identifying powerful but rarely discussed factors that affect provider behavior
- Browsing a menu of possible interventions to gather ideas for program design
- Learning about user-centered approaches to intervention design
- Developing indicators for monitoring and evaluation
