The 4 Key Steps
STEP 1: Define core research questions
What are the key areas that need to be explored in a context analysis for digital health interventions targeted at youth? When referring to youth as a target group, it is important to note that youth are not a homogenous group. Youth are a diverse group; their experiences, challenges and opportunities can vary greatly, based on various factors such as their real or perceived gender, age, nationality, ethnicity, socio economic status, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.
The context analysis should cover information on:
- SRHR of young people
- Young people’s gender rights and prevailing (harmful) social and gender norms
- Marginalised, vulnerable youth with specific SRH needs including root causes and intersectionality
- Youth needs in relation to SRH and wider health outcomes including their key challenges and opportunities
- Relevant actors, organizations and community groups working in health for young people
- Existing relevant digital and non-digital, youth-focused health interventions
- Young people’s communication and digital media: the digital landscape including access and connectivity, gatekeepers and censors, barriers and opportunities, the types of digital media that are used and relevant legislation
- Online and real-life safety and security, especially when operating in restrictive environments
DIGITAL HEALTH INTERVENTIONS
Digital health interventions are most effective when they are not standalone or duplicative. Instead, they should complement what already exists and strategically connect with other interventions, policies or campaigns. Thus, when conducting the landscape analysis and needs assessment, it is important to think about:
- Does the intervention already exist? Or does a similar intervention already exist that can be refined?
- How will this intervention fit within the larger existing ecosystem of health interventions for young people?
Source: WHO, “Youth-centred digital health interventions, A Framework for Planning, Developing and Implementing Youth-Targeted Digital Health Interventions”, 2020
For the relevant areas, start by defining the core questions and decide what information is needed. Here, specific issues and questions can be highlighted, as well as specific indicators that should be used. For example, the number of girls who get pregnant before the age of 18, the freedom index, and so on. Specific information can also be divided into different groups, such as gender, age, urban/rural, ethnicity, or religion.
The table below provides a list of indicative questions from the “A Framework for Planning, Developing and Implementing Youth-Targeted Digital Health Interventions”, which can help you get started with identifying the relevant questions for your context analysis.
EXAMPLE RESEARCH QUESTIONS
CONTEXT ANALYSIS FOR DIGITAL YOUTH SRHR INTERVENTIONS
Individual level
› Who are the end users?
› What are end users’ literacy and digital literacy levels?
› Where are end users geographically located?
› What are end users’ education levels?
› What are end users’ health interests, concerns and priorities?
Individual level – digital channels
› What devices are end users using?
› What digital channels, apps and/or websites are most popular with young people?
› What are the technology and delivery channels being used for?
› What are young people’s digital habits?
› What levels of accessibility do young people have to technology?
› How affordable is internet/phone access for young people?
› What does phone ownership look like among young people? Is there phone sharing?
Interpersonal level
› What does young people’s family environment look like?
› What are the social influences young people encounter?
› How do young people engage with each other as family, friends, or romantic partners?
Community level
› What health interventions and programs already exist?
› What content already exists on this topic for young people?
› Who are the stakeholders concerned with young people?
› What technology or delivery channels are perceived to be most pervasive in the community?
› What community-level challenges are associated with young people accessing relevant health information or services?
› What groups or organizations are reaching young people already and could assist in other efforts (promotion and marketing, developing content and delivery channel, pretesting, etc.)?
› What are the social expectations of young people?
› What are young people seeking out or lacking that a digital health intervention could address?
Public health and public policy level
› What are the current health statistics and health related policies/campaigns?
› What current health policies focus on young people?
› Are there current national policies related to digital programming?
Source: WHO, “Youth-centred digital health interventions, A Framework for Planning, Developing and Implementing Youth-Targeted Digital Health Interventions”, 2020
Go to Assignment 1.1: Research Questions.
STEP 2: Sources of information
Once you have identified your research questions, the next step is to determine how you can best find the answers to your questions. There are two main approaches:
- To use existing information (secondary data) from studies that have been conducted and published. This method is called desk research.
- To collect new (primary) data using methods like online content analysis (social listening), surveys, focus groups or interviews.
SECONDARY DATA COLLECTION
For your desk research you can use existing desk studies, reports and information. This includes information from expert organisations (such as the IPPF, NDI, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Freedom House), as well as relevant statistical databases. To gather relevant digital data, less traditional sources can be accessed such as social media or telecom data and reports.
For a list of relevant sources for your desk research on SRHR, see the course materials section.
PRIMARY DATA COLLECTION
- RNW media uses different methods to collect quantitative and qualitative data, using digital and non-digital tools. Depending on your objective, data can be collected through a combination of quantitative methods (surveys, statistical analysis) and qualitative methods (focus group discussions, interviews), using both digital and non-digital tools. Watch the video below for an overview of the four types of primary data collection:
- Online content analysis (social listening): This is a method to analyse the discourse on social media of online publicly available platforms (for example, Twitter, news, forums, blogs, YouTube). Social media platforms are increasingly becoming a space for (young) people to express their needs and opinions. Monitoring and analysing social media discourse – also called social listening – can provide valuable insights for any organisation serving an (online) audience. It provides a real-time approach to detect social developments that are discussed online.
- Focus groups: This method can be used to assess the needs of users prior to a project and to collect (qualitative) data on the results (primarily on the outcomes) of your project. This is especially useful to add depth to your qualitative data.
- Interviews: Identify resource people to engage with and interview, such as reliable regional experts. When interviewing these experts, it is important to ask open questions, to explore these, and to consistently summarise and request proof of the statements.
- Surveys: You can efficiently find out about people’s opinions, experiences or attitudes on certain issues by using an online survey tool like Survalyzer, Microsoft forms or Google forms. Online surveys need to be planned carefully, as the response can otherwise be low. The response rate can be boosted through advertising and by offering (modest) prizes. Most survey management tools also offer standardized surveys for inspiration.
Now that you are aware of how to distinguish secondary data collection methods (desk research) and primary data collection methods like online content analysis (social listening), focus groups, interviews and surveys, let’s apply this knowledge to your own research questions.
Go to Assignment 1.2: Information Detection.
Now that you have completed step 1 by formulating research questions and determined relevant sources of information through mini desk research in step 2, you are well on your way to finding valid answers to your research questions and to completing your first module on your journey to enabling digital communities for social change.
Before you continue with the final assignment, let’s have a look at what other steps it takes to perform a digital country context analysis.
STEP 3: Information validation
Information is often biased, based on different perspectives, views or interests. So, it is essential to keep asking yourself “Is this information valid and reliable?”
Any information that is gathered may be disputed and contradicted so it needs to be validated. Once the information has been assembled, it must be reviewed critically to identify:
- Inconsistencies and contradictions between the different sources. Experts can be consulted to correct the inconsistencies. Alternatively, cite the information of the most reliable source. If they are equally reliable, quote both sources.
- Gaps in information. If possible, go back and consult the experts again. If that is not an option, make intelligent assumptions: for instance, use information from comparable contexts (for example, a neighbouring country or the region).
- Pieces of information that seem unreliable. In these cases, seek additional information, for instance consulting experts. The knowledge of experts is a good way to resolve most validity issues so it may be useful to meet with them for a peer review of the information.
If you’d like to know more about the five pillars of verification and how you can identify trustworthy sources, make sure to watch the video below:
STEP 4: Write the report
Once the necessary information has been gathered and validated, the next step is to report on it. The report summarises the answers found to the core questions and should be concise, complete and conclusive. It should explain what is going on in the country on the specific issues and draw conclusions on the trends and main problems. Share the draft of the report with colleagues or peers and use their input to then produce a final version.
Are you ready to wrap up the module? After you have checked out different research methods and applied a mini desk research, let’s focus on the tools that provide information about the digital sphere.
Go to Assignment 1.3: Online Research Tools.