Self-Evaluation in Youth Media and Technology Programs: A Report to the Time Warner Foundation

This 2003 report documents the self-evaluation practices, challenges, and concerns of the Time Warner Foundation's Community Grantees; reviews the resources available to youth media programs wishing to conduct program and outcome evaluations; and begins to identify useful directions for further exploration

Young People and News

Presents survey findings on the daily news consumption of young Americans compared with that of older adults -- the sources, medium, frequency, depth, and selectivity of news exposure. Discusses issues of defining news consumption and implications

Effectiveness of community outreach and engagement in recruitment success for a prebirth cohort.

IntroductionWe describe the effectiveness of community outreach and engagement in supporting recruitment for the US National Children's Vanguard Study between 2009 and 2012.MethodsThirty-seven study locations used 1 of 4 strategies to recruit 18-49-year-old pregnant or trying to conceive women: (1) Initial Vanguard Study used household-based recruitment; (2) Direct Outreach emphasized self-referral; (3) Enhanced Household-Based Recruitment enhanced Initial Vanguard Study strategies; and (4) Provider-Based Recruitment recruited through healthcare providers. Outreach and engagement included advance letters, interactions with healthcare providers, participation in community events, contacts with community organizations, and media outreach.ResultsAfter 1-2 years, 41%-74% of 9844 study-eligible women had heard about the National Children's Vanguard Study when first approached. Women who heard were 1.5-3 times more likely to consent. Hearing via word-of-mouth or the media most frequently predicted consent. The more sources women heard from the higher the odds of consent.ConclusionsWe conclude that tailored outreach and engagement facilitate recruitment in cohort studies

The impact of integrated infant and young child feeding and micronutrient powder intervention on feeding practices and anemia in children aged 6-23 months in Madagascar

This study assesses the impact of an integrated infant and young child feeding (IYCF) and micronutrient powder (MNP) intervention on children's risk of anemia and IYCF practices in Madagascar. Quantitative baseline and endline surveys were conducted in representative households with children 6-23 months from two districts, where an 18-month IYCF-MNP intervention was implemented. Relative risks comparing children's risk of anemia and maternal IYCF knowledge and practices at baseline versus endline, and also at endline among MNP-users versus non-users were estimated using log-binomial regression models. 372 and 475 children aged 6-23 months were assessed at baseline and endline respectively. Prevalence of anemia fell from 75.3% to 64.9% from baseline to endline (p = 0.002); the reduction in the risk of anemia remained significant in models adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics (ARR (95% CI): 0.86 (0.78, 0.95), p = 0.003). In endline assessments, 229 out of 474 (48.3%) of children had consumed MNPs. MNP-users had a lower risk of anemia (ARR (95% CI): 0.86 (0.74, 0.99), p = 0.04) than non-users, after controlling for child's dietary diversity and morbidity, maternal counseling by community-health-workers, and sociodemographic characteristics. Mothers interviewed at endline also had greater nutrition knowledge and were more likely to feed their children ≥4 food groups (ARR (95% CI): 2.92 (2.24, 3.80), p < 0.001), and the minimum acceptable diet (ARR (95% CI): 2.88 (2.17, 3.82), p < 0.001) than mothers interviewed at baseline. Integration of MNP into IYCF interventions is a viable strategy for improving children's consumption of micronutrients and reducing risk of anemia. The addition of MNP does not negatively impact, and may improve, IYCF practices.We are grateful to all of the mothers and children and participating communities, as well as data enumerators, and the USAID-supported SALOHI project team for the technical and financial support during the baseline and endline surveys. We also thank Jacky Raharinjatovo the PSI-Madagascar statistician for support in analyses as well as Roland Kupka, France Begin and Jennifer Marcy for their comments and feedback on this manuscript. The views expressed in this manuscript are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official positions or policies of their affiliated institutions. Both the baseline and the endline surveys were funded by USAID/SALOHI. (USAID; USAID/SALOHI)Published versio

Three Reductions, Three Gains (3R3G) Technology in South Vietnam: Searching for Evidence of Economic Impact

The aim of the “Three Reductions, Three Gains” (3R3G) project is to reduce production costs, improve farmers’ health, and protect the environment in irrigated rice production in Vietnam through the reduced use of seeds, nitrogen fertilizer, and pesticides. It was developed by the International Rice Research Institute and introduced to farmers in South Vietnam by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in early 2000 through traditional extension work and mass media. Farm survey data provide evidence of adoption of 3R3G primarily in terms of lowering seed rates. The resultant changes in the farm production/cost structure and farmer profits are measured.information-intensive technology, technology transfer, farm-level impacts, Environmental Economics and Policy, Farm Management, Productivity Analysis,

"After my husband's circumcision, I know that I am safe from diseases": Women's Attitudes and Risk Perceptions Towards Male Circumcision in Iringa, Tanzania.

While male circumcision reduces the risk of female-to-male HIV transmission and certain sexually transmitted infections (STIs), there is little evidence that circumcision provides women with direct protection against HIV. This study used qualitative methods to assess women's perceptions of male circumcision in Iringa, Tanzania. Women in this study had strong preferences for circumcised men because of the low risk perception of HIV with circumcised men, social norms favoring circumcised men, and perceived increased sexual desirability of circumcised men. The health benefits of male circumcision were generally overstated; many respondents falsely believed that women are also directly protected against HIV and that the risk of all STIs is greatly reduced or eliminated in circumcised men. Efforts to engage women about the risks and limitations of male circumcision, in addition to the benefits, should be expanded so that women can accurately assess their risk of HIV or STIs during sexual intercourse with circumcised men

Find cancer early: Evaluation of a community education campaign to increase awareness of cancer signs and symptoms in people in regional Western Australians

Introduction: Cancer outcomes for people living in rural and remote areas are worse than for those living in urban areas. Although access to and quality of cancer treatment are important determinants of outcomes, delayed presentation has been observed in rural patients. Methods: Formative research with people from rural Western Australia (WA) led to the Find Cancer Early campaign. Find Cancer Early was delivered in three regions of WA, with two other regions acting as controls. Staff delivered the campaign using a community engagement approach, including promotion in local media. Television communications were not used to minimize contamination in the control regions. The campaign evaluation was undertaken at 20 months via a computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI) survey comparing campaign and control regions. The primary outcome variable was knowledge of cancer signs and symptoms. Results: Recognition and recall of Find Cancer Early and symptom knowledge were higher in the campaign regions. More than a quarter of those who were aware of the campaign reported seeing the GP as a result of their exposure. Conclusion: Despite limited use of mass media, Find Cancer Early successfully improved knowledge of cancer symptoms and possibly led to changes in behavior. Social marketing campaigns using community development can raise awareness and knowledge of a health issue in the absence of television advertising

Archiving the Central American Revolutions: The Value of Documentation in the Reconstruction of History

Latin American Studie