June 2024 — Stickybeak, as a partner with the World Health Organization (WHO) since 2020, has been dedicated to supporting the Headquarters (HQ) and Regional Office (RO) Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) teams through message testing initiatives focusing on various health topics. Stickybeak conducts testing on communication messages and elements like social tiles and key messages to assess their relevancy, appeal, interest, and ability to prompt action. The message testing also includes evaluating behavioral questions regarding awareness, concern, understanding, and current actions taken, as these factors significantly influence responses to the messaging. 

The ESAR RCCE Technical Working Group (TWG) conducted message testing for cholera in South Sudan using Stickybeak from 10th to 13th May 2024. Feedback was gathered from 100 men and women aged 18-54 living in South Sudan, recruited through social media channels. The primary goal of the testing was to gain a deeper insight into which health messages about cholera were more likely to be shared with friends and family, the influence of awareness and understanding of cholera symptoms on sharing behaviors, and to identify the most effective communication channels. This comprehensive approach aimed to improve the efficacy of cholera communication strategies, ensuring vital information reaches the communities in need. 

The sample results demonstrate a strong inclination towards sharing health information, with 85% indicating a willingness to spread the message among their family and friends, showcasing a commendable level of public health awareness and responsibility. Furthermore, 61% expressed a preference for receiving acute watery diarrhea information from Community Health Workers, followed by 57% from Health facilities. Radio was favored by 40% of respondents, while 33% opted for WhatsApp/SMS as their preferred medium. These insights highlight the importance of utilizing a diverse range of channels to disseminate crucial health information effectively. Despite the lower percentages, insights such as 16% from Chiefs, 14% from religious leaders signify the importance of engaging influential community figures in disseminating essential health information. 

Key Learnings from the Country Office Team: 

• It is essential to have a pre-developed key message bank informed by research. 

• It is crucial to identify and define priority behaviors and desired actions based on problem/situational analysis for targeting messages. 

• Understanding the audience and customizing messages and communication methods is key for adjusting communication style, language, and supporting arguments for each audience. 

• Involving relevant stakeholders, internal staff, and technical experts early on is key. Including government officials and other key stakeholders in initial drafts helped refine messages by incorporating diverse perspectives on accuracy, candor, and transparency. 

Key Lessons from Previous RCCE Testing: 

• It is possible to assess the situation and test messaging simultaneously to gather feedback on necessary support and information, as well as determine the most effective communication strategies. 

• Utilizing existing processes and capabilities allows for quick action, with the option of conducting training to enhance readiness. 

• Targeting specific geographic areas enables focused testing results. 

• Effective testing requires a clear focus on the desired customer response. 

• Testing with plain text materials can yield successful outcomes, eliminating the need for elaborate designs. 

• Keep communication goals in mind when utilizing testing results for messaging purposes.