Social Networks

Social networks are a means through which new ideas and behaviors spread and through which social influence operates. Although there has been a long theoretical and empirical history of work on social networks, the practical application of social network approaches to health is relatively new. A network is a social structure comprised of individuals or organizations that are linked together by  factors such as values, disease, sexual relations, trade, and so on.
 
C-Change is exploring ways in which social networks protect health when accurate and relevant information is shared between network members to support positive and healthy decision making. Since social networks are embedded within communities, community leaders and stakeholders can change the perception of the community’s family planning use or HIV prevalence, for example.
 
This year, C-Change is initiating an Invitation Card Study in Madagascar to identify behavioral and social network determinants that increase contraceptive uptake. In order to increase care seeking behavior for reproductive health, an innovative program was initially implemented in Madagascar in late 2007 in which family planning users, village health workers, and village leaders distributed a series of invitation cards to prospective family planning clients. The initial success of the program led to C-Change's study which should reveal insights into the role of social networks in contraceptive uptake and expand our understanding of effective family planning interventions.