Mixed Methods Study of Digital SKILLZ among Adolescents and Young Adults in Nigeria

Brief Summary

Background

Young people in Nigeria face barriers to accessing accurate sexual and reproductive health and rights information, a challenge made worse by the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mobile phone-based tools offer a promising way to fill this gap at scale.

What Grassroot Soccer did

Grassroot Soccer piloted the 3-2-1 SKILLZ Wanji interactive voice response game—a self-guided, phone-based tool delivering sexual and reproductive health and rights content—among adolescents and young adults aged 15–24 in Lagos, Nigeria.

What the study found

Participants showed moderate improvements in sexual and reproductive health and rights knowledge after a single session. The game was highly acceptable and described as fun and informative. Attitude and gender norm changes were limited after one exposure, and most participants expressed a preference for in-person programming with a coach.

Why this matters

This pilot suggests that interactive voice response technology can meaningfully improve health knowledge among young people, particularly where in-person access is limited. The tool appears most promising as a complement to, rather than a replacement for, face-to-face programming.

DETAILED SUMMARY

Importance

COVID-19-related restrictions highlighted the need for alternative approaches to deliver sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) information to young people. Mobile phone–based platforms, including interactive voice response (IVR), offer a scalable and accessible method to reach youth. However, limited evidence exists on the effectiveness and acceptability of IVR-based, gamified SRHR interventions.

Objective

To evaluate whether the 3-2-1 SKILLZ Wanji IVR game improves SRHR knowledge among adolescents and young adults compared to pre-intervention immediately after a single exposure in a controlled setting in Lagos, Nigeria.

Study details

Study design: Mixed methods study
Data collection tools: Pre- and post-questionnaires; focus group discussions
Participants: Adolescents and young adults (aged 15–24 years, mean age of 18.9 years; mixed gender)
Implementation setting: Community-based recruitment and data collection conducted in Lagos State, Nigeria (urban)
Study period: September to October 2021

Intervention

Digital SKILLZ 3-2-1 SKILLZ Wanji IVR game: a once-off, self-guided IVR game delivered via mobile phone, allowing users to navigate SRHR content using keypad responses.

Results

A total of 40 SKILLZ-naive participants completed pre- and post-questionnaires; 20 participated in focus group discussions, alongside 11 additional SKILLZ-experienced participants in a separate discussion.
Moderate improvement observed in SRHR knowledge (13% increase in knowledge items, 5% increase overall from pre- to post-test).
Greater gains observed in knowledge than attitudes, with minimal changes in gender norms and behavioral attitudes following the one-time intervention.
Focus group discussions suggest high acceptability and engagement, with participants describing the game as: “totally fun… it enlightens us about ourselves… very good for us teenagers and youths” (participant)
Most participants preferred in-person SKILLZ programming with a Coach, citing greater engagement and interpersonal interaction.

Conclusions and implications

The game shows promise as a scalable digital tool to improve SRHR knowledge among young people, but impacts on attitudes appear limited following a single exposure.
IVR platforms may be most effective as a supplement to in-person programming, with improvements needed to address access barriers such as cost, connectivity, and user experience.

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Citation

Year: 2021

Authors: Lee DE, Sekoni A, Bhauti K, Akhabue G, Adetukasi O, Dallos A

Lee DE, Sekoni A, Bhauti K, Akhabue G, Adetukasi O, Dallos A. Using Interactive Voice Response to Reach Young People with SRHR Information: Rapid Pilot Evaluation of an IVR Game in Lagos, Nigeria. [conference paper]. 2021.