Understanding the 4As of Social Marketing for HIV Prevention in India

Social marketing has gained popularity in health used to achieve the “social good.” However, there is lack of research beyond the aggregated sales data exploring the debate on socioeconomic and cultural relevance of such programs in public health in a low middle income context. The purpose of this article is therefore (a) to understand the importance of socioeconomic context that moderate acceptability, affordability, accessibility, and availability (4As) of social marketing for HIV/AIDS prevention in India and (b) analyze the barriers they may pose during the operationalization of the programs. This article performed theory-driven evaluation using qualitative research tools like documentary analysis and in-depth interviews of relevant stakeholders. Thematic analysis was followed to classify the emergent data. The 4As comprising “acceptability,” “affordability,” “availability,” and “accessibility” proposed in this article encapsulate the important role played by socioeconomic and cultural dimensions in shaping the social marketing programs for HIV/AIDS prevention in India. Social marketing for “whom,” “at what cost,” and “under what circumstances” emerge as an interesting debate in this article. An enhanced understanding of how social marketing harnesses the prevalent sociocultural and economic dynamics in a heterogeneous context like India not only refines social marketing as a theory but also provides opportunities for effective health policy making resulting in better health outcomes.