Innovation diffusion: how homogenous networks influence the uptake of community-based injectable contraceptives
Abstract Background Studies have shown that social networks influence health behaviors, including the adoption of health innovations. This study explored the potential for early adopters of community health worker-delivered injectable contraceptives (CHWDIC) to influence the uptake of this innovatio...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2019-11-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-019-7819-5 |
| _version_ | 1817988584673640448 |
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| author | Oluwaseun Akinyemi Bronwyn Harris Mary Kawonga |
| author_facet | Oluwaseun Akinyemi Bronwyn Harris Mary Kawonga |
| author_sort | Oluwaseun Akinyemi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Studies have shown that social networks influence health behaviors, including the adoption of health innovations. This study explored the potential for early adopters of community health worker-delivered injectable contraceptives (CHWDIC) to influence the uptake of this innovation by women in their social networks. Methods This Social Network Analysis (SNA) study was conducted in Gombe, Nigeria. Twenty women who were early adopters of the CHWDIC were recruited. Each participant (ego) listed ten women of reproductive age (alters) with whom they related. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect from each ego, data about the nature of her relationship with each alter (ego-alter relationship), whether she talked about CHWDIC with each alter, and whether her listed alters talked to each other about CHWDIC (alter-alter relationship). Data were also collected on age, marital status and education level for each ego and alter. Data were analyzed with UCINET social network analysis software. Variables of interest include homophilia (similarity), density (number of ties as a proportion of possible ties), degree (popularity) and betweeness (frequency of connecting actor pairs who otherwise might not communicate). Results There were 20 egos and 200 alters. Between two thirds (alters) and three quarters (egos) of the women were 30 years or older. All of the egos and 196 (98%) of alters were married. Most of the networks had similar (homophilic) actors according to certain sociodemographic characteristics - ethnicity, age, education and type of marriage. More than 90% of the networks had density greater than 50%, suggesting high cohesion in most networks. The majority of actors in these networks used injectable contraceptives. In some of the networks, few actors with the highest prominence (betweeness centrality) were not users of injectable contraceptives. Conclusion The study illustrates the application and feasibility of ego SNA in identifying champions and opinion leaders among women of reproductive age group. It also shows the influence of social networks on the diffusion of community-based injectable contraceptives, and how homophilic and dense networks may have positive health externality. The interrelatedness of network members’ decision to adopt a health innovation was also demonstrated by the findings of this study. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T00:36:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5f3300da620a4a3b8e013bc272d617dc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T00:36:51Z |
| publishDate | 2019-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-5f3300da620a4a3b8e013bc272d617dc2022-12-22T02:22:21ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582019-11-0119111210.1186/s12889-019-7819-5Innovation diffusion: how homogenous networks influence the uptake of community-based injectable contraceptivesOluwaseun Akinyemi0Bronwyn Harris1Mary Kawonga2Department of Health Policy and Management, College of Medicine, |University of IbadanCentre for Health Policy, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the WitwatersrandDepartment of Community Health, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the WitwatersrandAbstract Background Studies have shown that social networks influence health behaviors, including the adoption of health innovations. This study explored the potential for early adopters of community health worker-delivered injectable contraceptives (CHWDIC) to influence the uptake of this innovation by women in their social networks. Methods This Social Network Analysis (SNA) study was conducted in Gombe, Nigeria. Twenty women who were early adopters of the CHWDIC were recruited. Each participant (ego) listed ten women of reproductive age (alters) with whom they related. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect from each ego, data about the nature of her relationship with each alter (ego-alter relationship), whether she talked about CHWDIC with each alter, and whether her listed alters talked to each other about CHWDIC (alter-alter relationship). Data were also collected on age, marital status and education level for each ego and alter. Data were analyzed with UCINET social network analysis software. Variables of interest include homophilia (similarity), density (number of ties as a proportion of possible ties), degree (popularity) and betweeness (frequency of connecting actor pairs who otherwise might not communicate). Results There were 20 egos and 200 alters. Between two thirds (alters) and three quarters (egos) of the women were 30 years or older. All of the egos and 196 (98%) of alters were married. Most of the networks had similar (homophilic) actors according to certain sociodemographic characteristics - ethnicity, age, education and type of marriage. More than 90% of the networks had density greater than 50%, suggesting high cohesion in most networks. The majority of actors in these networks used injectable contraceptives. In some of the networks, few actors with the highest prominence (betweeness centrality) were not users of injectable contraceptives. Conclusion The study illustrates the application and feasibility of ego SNA in identifying champions and opinion leaders among women of reproductive age group. It also shows the influence of social networks on the diffusion of community-based injectable contraceptives, and how homophilic and dense networks may have positive health externality. The interrelatedness of network members’ decision to adopt a health innovation was also demonstrated by the findings of this study.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-019-7819-5Ego social network analysisPersonal networksEgocentric networksCommunity-based distribution of injectable contraceptivesHomophilyDensity |
| spellingShingle | Oluwaseun Akinyemi Bronwyn Harris Mary Kawonga Innovation diffusion: how homogenous networks influence the uptake of community-based injectable contraceptives BMC Public Health Ego social network analysis Personal networks Egocentric networks Community-based distribution of injectable contraceptives Homophily Density |
| title | Innovation diffusion: how homogenous networks influence the uptake of community-based injectable contraceptives |
| title_full | Innovation diffusion: how homogenous networks influence the uptake of community-based injectable contraceptives |
| title_fullStr | Innovation diffusion: how homogenous networks influence the uptake of community-based injectable contraceptives |
| title_full_unstemmed | Innovation diffusion: how homogenous networks influence the uptake of community-based injectable contraceptives |
| title_short | Innovation diffusion: how homogenous networks influence the uptake of community-based injectable contraceptives |
| title_sort | innovation diffusion how homogenous networks influence the uptake of community based injectable contraceptives |
| topic | Ego social network analysis Personal networks Egocentric networks Community-based distribution of injectable contraceptives Homophily Density |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-019-7819-5 |
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