HIGHLIGHTS

• Despite progress in meeting women’s reproductive needs, unintended pregnancies remain common in Senegal.
• Supported by the Gates Foundation, the Pathways Project examines social, cultural, and environmental risk factors affecting reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health and nutrition.
• ideas42 is applying behavioral science expertise and leading qualitative research development and analysis as part of the Pathways Project.

The Challenge

Despite significant progress in meeting women’s reproductive needs in Senegal, 31% of pregnancies are still unintended. One-size-fits-all approaches have not been shown to reach or address the needs of more vulnerable groups who tend to experience worse health outcomes across health areas. 

For several years, the Gates Foundation has supported the Pathways Project—a design-driven, interdisciplinary approach to explore the social, cultural, and environmental risk factors impacting reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health and nutrition. This approach combines quantitative data, in the form of measurable factors, with qualitative data that describes people’s lived experiences, to segment the population and understand the programmatic implications of these differences.

Our Approach

ideas42 is supporting the application of the Pathways methodology in Senegal. The work of Pathways in Senegal, focused on contraceptive use among married women, seeks to inform the work of the Department of Maternal and Child Health of the Ministry of Health and Social Action of Senegal. Apart from contributing behavioral science expertise to the broader project, ideas42 is also leading the development and interpretation of qualitative research to complement the quantitative segmentation data.

Once this research is complete, we will work collaboratively with other partners to support the Ministry of Health and Social Action in Senegal and its implementing partners to leverage these findings in their family planning strategies and programming.

Takeaway

Interested in our work applying behavioral science to global health? Email health@ideas42.org or reach out to us on LinkedIn to join the conversation.