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Contraceptives: Health Education

Volume 504: debated on Thursday 28 January 2010

To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 6 January 2010, Official Report, column 471W, on contraceptives: health education, through what metrics the effectiveness of the campaign is being measured; for what reasons his Department is using econometric modelling to determine the effectiveness of the campaign; and if he will make a statement. (313632)

The metrics that will be used to measure the effectiveness of the “Contraception. Worth Talking About” campaign include levels of awareness and understanding, personal relevance, willingness to discuss contraception with friends, family and partner and discussion of contraception with a health care professional. In the short term these metrics will be measured predominantly by tracking research.

Evaluating the overall success of the campaign more thoroughly requires complex multivariate analysis based on attitudinal and behavioural data and assumptions on how people react as a result of campaign activity. In the medium to long term we are considering using econometric modelling as this uses statistical techniques to strip out irrelevant factors affecting the results of the campaign.