Summary

Educate adult women about contraceptive options in Kingston, Jamaica.

Project Team

The Ohio State University
Dr. Maria Gallo, College of Public Health, Epidemiology
Prof. Maria Palazzi, ACCAD/Design
Taylor Olsen, Graduate Research Associate, Design
Breanne Butters, Graduate Research Associate, Design

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Markus Steiner, PhD, Senior Epidemiologist

The University of the West Indies at Mona
Tina Hylton-Kong, MBBS, of the Epidemiology Research and Training Unit
Natalie Medley-Singh, MBBS, DM, of the department of obstetrics, gynecology and child health;
Althea Bailey, MPH, of the department of community health and psychiatry

Project Description:

In a grant to help debunk contraceptive myths in Kingston Jamaica, ACCAD teamed with project PI Dr. Maria Gallo, Associate Professor in the College of Public Health’s Division of Epidemiology to help educate adult women about contraceptive options in Kingston, Jamaica. This study is also a first-time collaboration between Gallo and ACCAD.

Gallo and the research team hope to debunk myths and confusion surrounding contraceptive safety. Contraceptive methods often go unused because of false concerns about the side effects and health risks associated with them, according to Gallo.

To address the study, ACCAD designed and produced a four-minute motion-graphics video debunking myths about contraception based on a script devised by Gallo and the medical research team.  “Our primary aim is to determine whether long-acting reversible contraceptive initiation is higher among women who watch the debunking video, compared to those in the control group after three months of follow-up,” Gallo said.

Palazzi and Design MFA students Taylor Olsen and Breanne Butters developed storyboards and characters for the script and then participated in stakeholder sessions with women in Kingston to evaluate and refine the script and visuals to address their needs and suggestions.  The resulting video will be now be used in a study of 220 adult, reproductive-age women in Kingston to determine its effectiveness.

Funding Society of Family Planning, 2017-18.