AFEW: Projects >> 2^nd Mass Media Campaign on Safer Sex (Mongolia) >> Campaign Background Info

Campaign Background Info

" A healthy and wise choice" campaign of Medecins sans Frontieres/ Health Management Information and Education Centre of the Ministry of Health of Mongolia, which was launched in December 1999, has been well received by young Mongolian people. A recent survey reports that young people like the campaign "healthy and wise choice" and that they consider information like this very important and want it to be continued.

International independent medical relief organization Medecins sans Frontieres in a close co-operation with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare implemented in Mongolia " A healthy and wise choice" mass media campaign to fight HIV/AIDS/STD which has been launched December 1, 1999 in Ulaanbaatar and was actively implementing during 6 month in Ulaanbaatar, Darkhan and Erdenet cities targeted for young people between 15 and 25 years old. Although at first the campaign was planned to focus on urban young people but during campaign activity it was spread Tuv and other aimags in early 2000.

In order to increase young people's knowledge about sexual health issues mass media campaign was implemented and then qualitative and quantitative researches were conducted. The campaign and pre- and post-campaign surveys were carried out by MSF in collaboration with the Health Management Information and Education Centre (HMIEC) of the Ministry of Health of Mongolia.

Basing on campaign results it was observed that 75% of respondents had seen at least one element of the media campaign; and 98% of those, who had seen it, said that they considered information it contained to be important. The overall aided recall rate of TV commercials of " A healthy and wise choice" campaign was 68%, with 80% in Ulaanbaatar.

General knowledge level of people, who had seen the campaign, was ever better than of those, who hadn't seen it. For example: when was asked question about possibility of HIV transmission during sexual contact with a condom 89% of total respondents gave the correct answer, while 92% of participants, who had seen the campaign answered correctly.

The opinion of 82% of respondents, all of whom who had seen the campaign, was positive about the campaign. 82% said that they liked it, 97.5% said that this information was important, 89.6% said that they wanted it to be continued. It shows that "Healthy and wise choice" campaign's results are good and it is necessary to continue this kind of campaign.

At the same time important misconceptions in the ways of transmission still exist. For example, 73% think that it can be risky sharing the same toilet with STD infected person, 40% think that condoms do not prevent STDs.Young people are sexually active. 55.3% of respondents had sexual experience. 30% of those having sexual experience used a condom last time had sex. 90% of respondents would be happy if a sexual partner offered to use a condom.

Survey was carried out in Ulaanbaatar, Darkhan, Erdenet cities, and Tuv aimag, among young people aged 15 to 25. 1355 people were involved in quantitative research, and 1297 questionnaires that answered for requirement were analyzed; qualitative research was conducted in form of 14 focus group discussions.

The campaign consists of 3 TV commercials, one radio commercial, outdoor advertisement on the billboard, outdoor advertisement (posters) inside and outside of buses, 200 000 information leaflets, and 50 000 calendars which were distributed to educational organizations, military units, disco clubs, factories, health organizations, newspaper and book sale points, public organizations and others.

Commercials were translated through MN-25, UBS, Eagle televisions, Hiimor cable television, and other regional channels, also by FM 107.5 and other short wave radio stations.

Although only two HIV cases have been reported in Mongolia, but conditions such that HIV/AIDS may spread rapidly. The number of STDs has increased and the number of HIV positive individuals has increasing in both neighboring countries.

A follow-up campaign is currently under preparation in close co-operation with HMIEC of the Ministry of Health. The next campaign will focus again on encouraging young people to look for information and on promoting a positive image to safer sex and condom use, and is expected to be launched in December, 2000.