Diffusion of innovation in family size ideation and acceptability of contraceptive use between migrants and non-migrants in rural Senegal

BACKGROUNDUrban-rural diffusion of family-building ideals, beliefs, and behaviors has long been hypothesized to drive fertility transitions.Though the idea is supported on the aggregate level, little prior research has addressed individual-level diffusion.Understanding such mechanisms may be especially important in the high-fertility context of sub-Saharan Africa. OBJECTIVEWe estimate the association of exposure of rural residents in a small Senegalese population to urban migrants and non-migrant urban residents in their social networks and their beliefs about ideal family size and the acceptability of contraceptive use.We address hypothesized mediating mechanisms and moderating effects of network density. METHODSData are drawn from the Niakhar Social Networks and Health Project, a large-scale social network survey, and the Niakhar Demographic and Health Surveillance System.Nested models are estimated with migrant exposure operationalized as both the proportion of migrants and the average duration of migration to the capital, Dakar, in respondents' social networks.