Key Social Norms Take-aways The Safe Love campaign provides strong evidence that mass media behavior change communication (BCC) can influence social norms related to HIV prevention, particularly around condom use, HIV testing, and perceptions of sexual behavior. Notably, the campaign shifted perceptions about community approval of condom use with casual partners and the belief that condoms can prevent HIV. These shifts were strongest among men and urban residents, underscoring the role of gender and location in how norms are held and changed. The study emphasizes that mass media campaigns—especially those with relatable narratives—can successfully challenge harmful norms and generate interpersonal discussions that reinforce new behaviors.
Objectives The evaluation aimed to determine the reach and impact of the Safe Love campaign in Zambia in promoting HIV-preventive behaviors and shifting attitudes, knowledge, self-efficacy, interpersonal communication, perceived social norms, and behavioral intentions.
Methods The study used a one-group post-test-only evaluation design with propensity score matching (PSM) to isolate the campaign’s effects. A household survey was conducted in nine districts, covering 4,114 men and women aged 15–49. Analyses included weighted descriptive statistics and matched comparisons across different exposure levels.
Intervention Details The Safe Love campaign was a three-year multimedia HIV prevention initiative (2011–2014), targeting low condom use, multiple concurrent partnerships (MCP), low uptake of HIV testing and PMTCT services, and voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC). It included TV and radio dramas, songs, and print media, designed to reflect the realities of Zambian communities and promote discussion and reflection among viewers and listeners.
Results The campaign reached 87% of people in the target districts. It significantly increased HIV testing, condom acquisition, and self-reported condom use, especially in urban areas. On social norms, men and urban respondents exposed to the campaign were more likely to agree that their community supports condom use with casual partners (13 percentage point increase for men), and that condoms protect against HIV. There were also shifts in perceptions of monogamy and MCP, especially among men. Among rural respondents, fear of HIV testing decreased. These results were more pronounced with higher levels of campaign recall, suggesting a dose-response effectUSAID (2014)_EM (1).
Conclusions Mass media campaigns can successfully shift harmful social norms that underpin risky sexual behavior when they are contextually grounded and emotionally engaging. Safe Love demonstrates the potential for mass media to create a normative climate supportive of HIV prevention and underscores the need to tailor messaging by gender and urban/rural context. Long-term impact depends on sustained exposure, audience segmentation, and integration with service delivery.