Health communication for behavior change: evolution of a marketing framework

Purpose This study aims to present a novel framework of “communication-led behavioral intention” in an effort to aid in the process of planning and coordinating social marketing campaigns on difficult subjects that go against social conventions, including the proper postnatal nutrition practices. Design/methodology/approach The study followed a quasi-experimental research design. Health communications (public service announcements) were shown to the women aged 18–65 years and responses were collected using a quantitative questionnaire. Structural equation modeling with exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses was used to investigate the linkage between the factors that influence breastfeeding outcomes. Findings A strong positive impact of contextual communication was confirmed empirically on the behavioral intention to follow and recommend exclusive breastfeeding. Three communication-specific factors – “content quality,” “message clarity” and “belief in message” – were found to play a pivotal role in inducing the “behavioral intention.” These relationships were found to be mediated by “empathy” which is an emotional state experienced out of the respondent’s ability to sense the thoughts and feelings of the characters in the communication. Originality/value This study is one of the few attempts on measuring breastfeeding outcomes using theoretical constructs. The framework suggested in the study has a lot of potential in assisting practitioners and researchers to develop effective interventions on complex topics that challenge social norms. Further, this paper offers important insights on the women with limited decision-making capacity on breastfeeding and child care.