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Original research
Explosive Ordnance Risk Education boosts interpersonal discussion to increase safe behavioural intentions in Afghanistan
  1. Benedek Paskuj1,
  2. Mahdi Zaki1,
  3. Ágnes Zsila2,3,
  4. Nicola Bailey1,
  5. Gábor Orosz4
  1. 1BBC Media Action, London, England, UK
  2. 2Institute of Psychology, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Budapest, Hungary
  3. 3Institute of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
  4. 4Artois University, Arras, Hauts-de-France, France
  1. Correspondence to Benedek Paskuj; benedek.paskuj{at}bbc.co.uk

Abstract

Background Explosive remnants of war claim more than three lives every day in Afghanistan. This study evaluates the impact of BBC Media Action Afghanistan’s Explosive Ordnance Risk Education project in raising public awareness and promoting safe behaviours regarding explosive ordnances in Afghanistan. The project deployed a multimedia approach to reach a mass audience, including a radio discussion show, public service announcements on TV and radio, social media content and playing content on intercity buses.

Methods A panel study with 400 participants from high-risk provinces assessed knowledge, discussion and behavioural intentions related to explosives before and after a mass media intervention. In the broadcast period, the research unobtrusively monitored the dosage of exposure to the media content.

Results Findings from the panel study indicated a significant increase in discussions about explosive risks and safer behavioural interventions (e.g. avoiding and reporting explosive ordnances) post intervention.

Conclusion The results constitute one of the first pieces of systematically collected evidence on media and communication’s potential in explosive risk education by facilitating interpersonal discussion and in turn change of behavioural intentions in areas contaminated by explosive ordnances and remnants of war.

  • Media Exposure
  • Low-Middle Income Country
  • Process/impact evaluation
  • Longitudinal
  • War/Conflict
  • Media

Data availability statement

All data relevant to the study are included in the article or uploaded as supplementary information. The dataset and code that supports the findings is submitted with the manuscript and will be made openly available upon publication.

https://doi.org/10.1136/ip-2024-045316

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    Data availability statement

    All data relevant to the study are included in the article or uploaded as supplementary information. The dataset and code that supports the findings is submitted with the manuscript and will be made openly available upon publication.

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors BP is the guarantor for this research. BP, MZ and NB conceptualised the study and guided implementation of the surveys. BP cleaned the data. BP, AZ and GO conducted the data analysis and visualisation. All authors contributed to the data analysis plan, interpretation of the results, writing and review of the manuscript.

    • Funding This project was funded by UNMAS. The ANR CPJ grant supported GO.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Patient and public involvement Patients and/or the public were not involved in the design, or conduct, or reporting, or dissemination plans of this research.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.