Quality Standards for Strategic Health and Development Communication

The Top 10

These are the recommended Quality Standards for assessing the potential effectiveness and efficiency of health and development communication interventions. They were developed by a group of Health and Development Communication professionals convened by USAID and facilitated by The Communication Initiative partnership.

They are based on the need to respond to:

• rapid changes in communication patterns in most countries;
• the growing scale and complexity of international health and development issues
• the best data available on the impact of communication interventions.

The suggested quality standards are drawn from the group's understanding of these changes in communication and health and the implications of the evaluation data. These quality standards are designed to support the efforts of programme managers in maximising the effective contribution of communication to the struggle to address health, population, nutrition and HIV/AIDS issues.

A quality health communication programme is one that:

A. Is Evidence Based

Strategy, planning and management decisions in relation to the communication intervention are significantly based on data and information from quality research exercises and programme evaluations. These will have measured the impact of a communication intervention on a health issue. From this data good practice programming lessons will have been drawn.

B. Accesses and Analyses Trend Data on it's Environment

On a regular basis collects and analyses the policy and programming implications of reliable data on trends in:

1. the population group with which it wishes to work
2. the communication scene within which it will operate
3. the nature of the issues that it intends to address
4. activities, perspectives and objectives of other ministries, agencies, organisations and private companies on the issues of concern

C. Focuses on Promoting Informed Dialogue and Choice

Stimulates and/or strengthens informed public and private dialogue and debate on the main issues at the center of the health and development issue[s] or problem[s] that are the focus of the communication intervention. And supports people making an informed choice concerning their responses to those issues and problems. This applies to both:

1. Health and development issues that are based on the introduction of responses with a provable scientific base [eg the right drug for penicillin resistant STDs] – where dialogue is essential to engage, inform and educate a community; and
2. Health and development issues that hinge on matters of values, opinions, culture and politics [as could be argued in the case of women's health] – where the overall response needs to be generated and agreed within countries, communities, families and amongst friends.

D. Effectively 'Frames' an Issue[s]

Positions the debate in terms that resonate with the people the communication intervention wishes to engage in that dialogue.

E. Is Ethical, Clear and Open in it's Own Involvement

Places the key ethical principles, goals and programming messages of the organisation managing the communication intervention into the debate in a transparent manner that is designed to inform and strengthen the dialogue process. This would cover issues such as the specific objectives of the organisation; the restrictions/direction provided by it's funders; any dependencies on other organisations/governments; personal values of senior staff; and others.

F. Works in Partnership

Prioritises negotiating and facilitating partnerships which are not dependent on the provision of financial support, with organisations that have extensive communication capacity and links with the key population groups. Such partnerships will be based on:

1. identifying and meeting the central interests of each of the partners
2. identifying and building on the strengths of each of the partners
3. placing those strengths in a collective framework that gives overall strength to the communication intervention.

Communication products to flow from those partnerships rather than be financed by development organisations.

G. Supports local "Ownership"

Includes a plan and specifies progress towards ownership of the communication intervention lying with local or national people and organisations - where the intervention has been initiated by a development agency external to that community or country. Involves people from the groups most affected by the issues being addressed in the process of making the key strategic decisions related to the communication intervention.

H. Has a structured Planning Framework

Uses an identified programme planning model or framework for the detailed planning and review of specific communication interventions within the overall communication strategy. This plan recognises that:

1. Policy, culture, social norm and behavioural change is a long term undertaking.
2. The interconnected nature of most development concerns requires a multi-issue approach

I. Places Substantial Resources into Evaluation

Expends about 10% of the budget on quality impact, efficiency and cost-effectiveness evaluations based on understandings of good practice in evaluating communication interventions.

J. Works for Sustainability

Identifies and seeks to achieve goals and objectives that ensure long term rather than temporary changes in the issues being addressed. Includes a plan for attracting the diversified and continuing financial and human resources required to sustain the communication intervention until it's long terms goals have been achieved.

In Summary:

The Top 10

A quality health communication programme is one that:

A. Is Evidence Based - what works in this context and elsewhere?

B. Accesses and Analyses Trend Data on it's Environment - trends and interests in the people involved; communication; the issue being addressed; plans and activities of other organisations.

C. Focuses on Promoting Informed Dialogue and Choice – more public discussion; more accurate information in those discussions; supports people making their action choices.

D. Effectively 'Frames' an Issue[s] – positions the issue of concern in relation to the major matters of concern for the relevant population.

E. Is Ethical, Clear and Open in it's Own Involvement – open agenda; clear and public statements of values and objectives; any funder restrictions made clear.

F. Works in Partnership – Development organisation resources used to negotiate non-funding dependent partnerships with communication organisations; not to produce their own products.

G. Supports local "Ownership" – People most affected by the issue[s] are centrally involved in decisions related to the communication intervention.

H. Has a structured Planning Framework – there are a set of steps that can be outlined and explained.

I. Places Substantial Resources into Evaluation - 10% of budget is allocated to evaluation.

J. Works for Sustainability – achievement of objectives will lead to long term change and resource base provides long term basis for action.