Social network and social normative characteristics of married female adolescents in Dosso, Niger: Associations with modern contraceptive use

In this study we analysed the social networks of a sample of married adolescent girls (ages 13-19 years) residing in Dosso, Niger (N = 322); data were collected for evaluation of a family planning (FP) intervention. Participants were asked to name individuals important in their lives (alters) using three name generating questions as part of a larger survey on reproductive health, social norms, and FP. One alter per girl was then recruited to be separately interviewed (N = 250). This provided us with two separate datasets: one with data from each respondent regarding each person that they nominated, and one with the interviewed alters matched with the respondent who nominated them. We found that married adolescent girls who were nulliparous were more likely to have no alters and that those in the intervention had the most alters. Alters of treatment participants were more likely to have used FP. Respondents were more likely to have used FP when their sisters or in-laws had, but there was no correlation with use by friends. Our results provide evidence of diffusion of the FP program to those close to intervention participants. Future research should study these dynamics, crucial to understanding intervention costing, impact, and normative change.

Automated summary

The study identified that married adolescent girls who were nulliparous were more likely to have no close relationships, while those in the intervention group had the most. Alters of treatment participants were more likely to have used family planning, and respondents were more likely to also use family planning when their sisters or in-laws did.