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India Today
a day ago
- Health
- India Today
Research explores how social support shapes health awareness
The research, accepted for publication in the Journal of Marketing, offers a groundbreaking insight: who delivers what message about cervical cancer screening matters. In 2024, cervical cancer claimed 80,000 lives in India, nearly a quarter of the global toll. Yet almost all of these deaths were preventable. Why are so many Indian women still dying from cervical cancer? The answer lies not in our hospitals, but in our homes, communities, and deep-rooted cultural norms. The research, accepted for publication in the Journal of Marketing, offers a groundbreaking insight: who delivers what message about cervical cancer screening matters. THE REAL BARRIERS TO SCREENING As per the NFHS-5, only 1.9% of Indian women undergo cervical cancer screening (CCS), compared to over 70% in countries like Australia. Government campaigns rely heavily on posters and infographics warning of cervical cancer's dangers. While well-meaning, these tactics assume one key thing: that women are free to act on this information. The reality, as our study shows, is far more complex. Working across four Indian states, we found that two significant barriers stand in the way of CCS adoption: lack of awareness and disempowering sociocultural norms. Many women simply do not know what cervical cancer is or why they should get screened. More troubling, even when aware, fear, stigma, and dependence on male family members often stop women from seeking help. But there's hope, and it doesn't require expensive technology or a new infrastructure. Instead, it calls for rethinking who we empower to speak. DOCTORS VS PEERS: WHO DO WOMAN LISTEN TO? We ran large-scale field experiments comparing different messengers and messaging styles. Unsurprisingly, doctors were trusted and credible. When doctors delivered factual information about cervical cancer, its risks, symptoms, and treatments, women responded more favourably than they did to impersonal infographics. However, the real breakthrough came when the message was delivered by a peer, another woman from the same community, using a tone of empowerment rather than fear. When local women shared stories that normalised CCS, addressed common taboos, and encouraged others to take control of their health, the impact was transformative. The study showed that peer-delivered empowering messages were the right fit to persuade, leading to a 36.5% increase in screening adoption compared to standard methods. That's 21 million additional Indian women potentially getting screened, an enormous win for public health. EMPOWERMENT OVER FEAR Why does this work? Because women listen to women they relate to. When a neighbor shares that she went for a screening and is now encouraging others to do the same, it's not just a health message; it's social permission. It breaks the silence, eases fears, and creates a ripple effect of trust. This doesn't mean doctors aren't important. Their involvement still significantly boosts perceived value and willingness to pay for services. But when it comes to changing behaviour, peers are often better placed to overcome stigma and cultural resistance, especially when they deliver messages that empower rather than scare. WHAT INDIA MUST DO NEXT This insight has powerful implications for public health strategy. Here's what India can do: Rethink public health campaigns: Replace faceless posters and expert-heavy materials with real women from the community telling their stories in their own words. Train peer educators: Equip local health workers, ASHAs, and community leaders not just with facts but with tools to talk about screening in ways that resonate with women's daily lives and concerns. The tools do not have to be expensive. In our research, we used simple WhatsApp videos of messages from a female doctor and a female peer. Empower women to empower each other: Normalise conversations about reproductive health in women's self-help groups, anganwadi centers, and everyday settings like community kitchens or village meetings. Involve civil society: NGOs that already have deep community ties can be pivotal in scaling peer-led interventions. Camp based screenings by NGOs with clear referral pathways can be particularly effective. This isn't just about saving lives. It's about reclaiming agency for millions of Indian women. It's about shifting the healthcare narrative from 'you should do this' to 'let's do this together.' The fight against cervical cancer won't be won in labs, clinics or lecture halls, it will be won in kitchens, community halls, and farm fields. By recognising the power of peer influence and contextualising our health messages to women's lived experiences, India has the chance to move from awareness to action, and from silence to survival. (THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN PUBLISHED WITH THE PERMISSION OF IIM UDAIPUR. THE VIEWS AND OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS ARTICLE ARE SOLELY THOSE OF THE AUTHOR AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF INDIA TODAY) In 2024, cervical cancer claimed 80,000 lives in India, nearly a quarter of the global toll. Yet almost all of these deaths were preventable. Why are so many Indian women still dying from cervical cancer? The answer lies not in our hospitals, but in our homes, communities, and deep-rooted cultural norms. The research, accepted for publication in the Journal of Marketing, offers a groundbreaking insight: who delivers what message about cervical cancer screening matters. THE REAL BARRIERS TO SCREENING As per the NFHS-5, only 1.9% of Indian women undergo cervical cancer screening (CCS), compared to over 70% in countries like Australia. Government campaigns rely heavily on posters and infographics warning of cervical cancer's dangers. While well-meaning, these tactics assume one key thing: that women are free to act on this information. The reality, as our study shows, is far more complex. Working across four Indian states, we found that two significant barriers stand in the way of CCS adoption: lack of awareness and disempowering sociocultural norms. Many women simply do not know what cervical cancer is or why they should get screened. More troubling, even when aware, fear, stigma, and dependence on male family members often stop women from seeking help. But there's hope, and it doesn't require expensive technology or a new infrastructure. Instead, it calls for rethinking who we empower to speak. DOCTORS VS PEERS: WHO DO WOMAN LISTEN TO? We ran large-scale field experiments comparing different messengers and messaging styles. Unsurprisingly, doctors were trusted and credible. When doctors delivered factual information about cervical cancer, its risks, symptoms, and treatments, women responded more favourably than they did to impersonal infographics. However, the real breakthrough came when the message was delivered by a peer, another woman from the same community, using a tone of empowerment rather than fear. When local women shared stories that normalised CCS, addressed common taboos, and encouraged others to take control of their health, the impact was transformative. The study showed that peer-delivered empowering messages were the right fit to persuade, leading to a 36.5% increase in screening adoption compared to standard methods. That's 21 million additional Indian women potentially getting screened, an enormous win for public health. EMPOWERMENT OVER FEAR Why does this work? Because women listen to women they relate to. When a neighbor shares that she went for a screening and is now encouraging others to do the same, it's not just a health message; it's social permission. It breaks the silence, eases fears, and creates a ripple effect of trust. This doesn't mean doctors aren't important. Their involvement still significantly boosts perceived value and willingness to pay for services. But when it comes to changing behaviour, peers are often better placed to overcome stigma and cultural resistance, especially when they deliver messages that empower rather than scare. WHAT INDIA MUST DO NEXT This insight has powerful implications for public health strategy. Here's what India can do: Rethink public health campaigns: Replace faceless posters and expert-heavy materials with real women from the community telling their stories in their own words. Train peer educators: Equip local health workers, ASHAs, and community leaders not just with facts but with tools to talk about screening in ways that resonate with women's daily lives and concerns. The tools do not have to be expensive. In our research, we used simple WhatsApp videos of messages from a female doctor and a female peer. Empower women to empower each other: Normalise conversations about reproductive health in women's self-help groups, anganwadi centers, and everyday settings like community kitchens or village meetings. Involve civil society: NGOs that already have deep community ties can be pivotal in scaling peer-led interventions. Camp based screenings by NGOs with clear referral pathways can be particularly effective. This isn't just about saving lives. It's about reclaiming agency for millions of Indian women. It's about shifting the healthcare narrative from 'you should do this' to 'let's do this together.' The fight against cervical cancer won't be won in labs, clinics or lecture halls, it will be won in kitchens, community halls, and farm fields. By recognising the power of peer influence and contextualising our health messages to women's lived experiences, India has the chance to move from awareness to action, and from silence to survival. (THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN PUBLISHED WITH THE PERMISSION OF IIM UDAIPUR. THE VIEWS AND OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS ARTICLE ARE SOLELY THOSE OF THE AUTHOR AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF INDIA TODAY) Join our WhatsApp Channel
India Today
2 days ago
- Health
- India Today
Why neighbours, not doctors, may be the key to cervical cancer prevention
In 2024, cervical cancer claimed 80,000 lives in India, nearly a quarter of the global toll. Yet almost all of these deaths were preventable. Why are so many Indian women still dying from cervical cancer? The answer lies not in our hospitals, but in our homes, communities, and deep-rooted cultural research, accepted for publication in the Journal of Marketing, offers a groundbreaking insight: who delivers what message about cervical cancer screening REAL BARRIERS TO SCREENING As per the NFHS-5, only 1.9% of Indian women undergo cervical cancer screening (CCS), compared to over 70% in countries like Australia. Government campaigns rely heavily on posters and infographics warning of cervical cancer's dangers. While well-meaning, these tactics assume one key thing: that women are free to act on this reality, as our study shows, is far more across four Indian states, we found that two significant barriers stand in the way of CCS adoption: lack of awareness and disempowering sociocultural women simply do not know what cervical cancer is or why they should get screened. More troubling, even when aware, fear, stigma, and dependence on male family members often stop women from seeking there's hope, and it doesn't require expensive technology or a new infrastructure. Instead, it calls for rethinking who we empower to VS PEERS: WHO DO WOMAN LISTEN TO?We ran large-scale field experiments comparing different messengers and messaging styles. Unsurprisingly, doctors were trusted and doctors delivered factual information about cervical cancer, its risks, symptoms, and treatments, women responded more favourably than they did to impersonal the real breakthrough came when the message was delivered by a peer, another woman from the same community, using a tone of empowerment rather than local women shared stories that normalised CCS, addressed common taboos, and encouraged others to take control of their health, the impact was study showed that peer-delivered empowering messages were the right fit to persuade, leading to a 36.5% increase in screening adoption compared to standard 21 million additional Indian women potentially getting screened, an enormous win for public OVER FEARWhy does this work? Because women listen to women they relate a neighbor shares that she went for a screening and is now encouraging others to do the same, it's not just a health message; it's social permission. It breaks the silence, eases fears, and creates a ripple effect of doesn't mean doctors aren't important. Their involvement still significantly boosts perceived value and willingness to pay for when it comes to changing behaviour, peers are often better placed to overcome stigma and cultural resistance, especially when they deliver messages that empower rather than INDIA MUST DO NEXTThis insight has powerful implications for public health strategy. Here's what India can do:Rethink public health campaigns: Replace faceless posters and expert-heavy materials with real women from the community telling their stories in their own peer educators: Equip local health workers, ASHAs, and community leaders not just with facts but with tools to talk about screening in ways that resonate with women's daily lives and concerns. The tools do not have to be expensive. In our research, we used simple WhatsApp videos of messages from a female doctor and a female women to empower each other: Normalize conversations about reproductive health in women's self-help groups, anganwadi centers, and everyday settings like community kitchens or village civil society: NGOs that already have deep community ties can be pivotal in scaling peer-led interventions. Camp based screenings by NGOs with clear referral pathways can be particularly isn't just about saving lives. It's about reclaiming agency for millions of Indian women. It's about shifting the healthcare narrative from 'you should do this' to 'let's do this together.'advertisementThe fight against cervical cancer won't be won in labs, clinics or lecture halls, it will be won in kitchens, community halls, and farm recognising the power of peer influence and contextualising our health messages to women's lived experiences, India has the chance to move from awareness to action, and from silence to survival.- Ends
Daily Mirror
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
'It's like a second Berlin wall': The art of door selection at Berlin clubs
Berlin-based musicologist Dr. Liam Cagney shares his thoughts on the recent University of Bath study sharing the elusive paradox of door selection at Berlin's infamous techno clubs The criteria for getting into Berlin's renowned techno clubs has long been shrouded in mystery, but a recent study sought to shed light on the door selection process. Published in the Journal of Marketing, the research from the University of Bath, King's College London, and Freie Universität Berlin revealed door 'selectors' paradoxically look for people that 'fit in' and 'stand out' to add to the experience. But according to Berlin -based writer and musicologist, Dr. Liam Cagney, the study only tells part of the story. Cagney suggests that Berlin's club scene exists 'somewhere between a public space and a private space' making the criteria for door selection more of an artform. 'The door selectors are like people who are giving out invitations to attend the party…they're inviting people to come into their house in a way,' explains Cagney. He says that Berlin's heritage means that clubs are space for rethinking social interactions and that significance can cause confusion for club tourists that show up and expect to be allowed in. That said, he accepts that clubs make use of the experience economy and monopolise on people's curiosity for business reasons. 'It's like a big, imposing wall, almost like a second Berlin wall,' says Cagney. 'There's probably an intentional aspect of keeping things hidden and that excites desire.' Social platforms like TikTok have driven swarms of 'techno tourists' to the city and to test their luck getting into the most scrupulous clubs. There are also dedicated Reddit threads and videos about how to act and dress to increase your chances of getting invited inside well-known haunts like Berghain and Tresor. According to Cagney, the social media tourists have brought a more 'consumerist attitude' to the scene and can negatively affect the experience of regulars. 'You notice them appearing in the club and they're kind of looking around as if they're at a zoo'. In Cagney's view, it's up to the bouncers to protect the space for regulars. He says that he's seen the bouncers get creative when it comes to dealing with who gets in on a given night. He describes one evening when it seems bouncers were rejecting anyone wearing black. 'It was like they decided, okay, we're going to f--k with this today. We're going to buck the stereotype.' Still, being rejected at the doors after you've queued for hours is certainly a gutting experience, and Cagney says he and other Berghain regulars are not immune. But he contends that the current system is the 'least bad option', even though the door gets it wrong at times. But that's why Cagney says reframing the idea of Berlin techno clubs as more of a personal 'party' rather than just an entertainment venue is so important. 'The unpredictability does make it more inaccessible, but it becomes less unpredictable once you're really becoming more of an insider," says Cagney. Sometimes it just isn't your night and that's solely up to the discretion of the bouncers. Cagney recalls one tale of the bouncers deciding who to let in based only on their footwear. "I think occasionally they probably play a little bit with each other as well. They make up games to keep themselves amused." Unpredictability is part of the territory. Cagney will be publishing his novel, Berghain Nights, in October 2025. The book is an exploration of Berlin's club scene. Blending essay and memoir and includes interviews with major electronic dance music artists and other members of Berlin's night-time economy.
