IMPACT OF RADIO ON SENSITIZATION ON CAUSES AND PREVENTION OF MALARIA

📁 Format: MS WORD | 🗂️ Chapters: 1-5 | 📄 Pages: 65

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1       BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Mass media plays a vital role in the development process of a country is not again saying. The mass media generally regarded as a channel of communication that are capable of reaching heterogeneous audience simultaneously with uniform message. They regularly cover all sorts of issues such as health, music, fine art, crime, sport, entertainment, political events among others (Soela 2014). The mass media transmits ideas and new information to target audience in the society. Tosanisunmi (2004) has observed that the mass media educate, inform and entertain beyond these functions as they also persuade and catalyze for social mobilization. In other words, the mass media can be regarded as powerful service of information because they have the capability to penetrate every segment of society. They have the ability to disseminate messages about issue, ideas and product.

Radio is a vehicle for projecting personality through which it attracts and holds an audience. It is an efficient instrument for getting a message to a large number of people at the same time, because it transcends the boundary of space and time, and also leaps across illiteracy barriers (Onabajo, 2017).

Egbuchulam (2017) asserts that radio has been a major communication tool for improving the quality of people’s lives, bringing to their doorstep news, entertainment and education through its programmes. Despite the world wide enchantment with the internet and web-based learning, radio still retains the advantage of being able to serve dispersed, isolated, and disadvantaged communities aspiring to overcome the barriers of illiteracy and physical distance in many countries

Malaria is endemic in Nigeria (97%) and is responsible for one out of every five childhood deaths (United Nation Population Division: 2002). Nigeria also ranks first among the thirty-five countries that are responsible for 98% of the total malaria deaths world-wide and contributes 96% to the total number of malaria cases (Roll Back Malaria: 2008). Malaria is responsible for the morbidity and mortality from illnesses such as respiratory infections, diarrhea, iron-deficiency diseases, anemia and malnutrition (Opiyo, 2017).

At the moment, one of the major preoccupations and challenges of African countries and the Third World countries in general is how to combat the menace of malaria. The disease is not only endemic; it is equally regarded as a killer disease. For instance, the 2008 report of the World Health Organisation shows that it kills 3,000 children every day in Africa. Worse still, the records further show that 41% of the world’s population lives in areas where malaria is transmitted which translates to 350-500 million cases of malaria each year the world over, and that the disease cause one million deaths every year in the world (WHO, 2017).

Insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) are a form of personal protection that has been shown to reduce malaria illness, severe disease, and death due to malaria in endemic regions. In community-wide trials in several African settings, ITNs were shown to reduce the death of children under 5 years from all causes by about 20%. (Adeyemi, 2016).

Television media of communication has been a force that exerts great influence on the society. It is not only a dragon powerful tool used to send messages to wider public, but also an important tool that can shape people’s perspectives and views on diverse issues in the society. Television represents a key component in the machinery of any campaign to create social awareness and mobilise people for action. This explains why various countries and bodies attempting to improve the health care system of their various constituencies involve communication.

The point is, remedy to the menace of malaria cannot and should not be left to the scientists and health workers alone, socio-cultural and communications perspectives are equally needed to make the course or effort holistic. It will therefore not be a surprise to anybody when the researchers in the field claim that television media have an impact in sensitizing the people about causes and prevention of malaria. The use of radio as a channel of communication in sensitizing the people about causes and prevention of malaria has received a wide attention by many researchers probably because it is now well known in the country.

Radio as a mass medium could easily evolve social mobilization, social orientation and attitudinal change among the masses of Sagamu community (as it were in this study) on the causes, effects, symptoms of malaria as well as other various steps to take in order to prevent or minimise cases of the disease in the community. The point is, remedy to the menace of malaria cannot and should not be left to the scientists and health workers alone, socio-cultural and communications perspectives are equally needed to make the course or effort holistic.

Media health communications have aided in the fight and control of malaria. Through this means, the people have been sensitized, and educated on the causes and ways of checking the spread and treatment for the disease. However, it is the area of checking or controlling malaria that the media, especially radio in Nigeria has played a significant role. This is because malaria seems to be endemic amongst the poor of the society who require being educated on the causes and intervention methods. Thus, radio programs, drama etc are organized on regular basis in order to educate the poor masses on how to fight mosquitoes. Media communication on malaria program such as roll- back-malaria is carried daily emphasizing why we should sleep under nets and keep our environments clean.

1.2       STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Malaria is a major health hazard with Africa being the worst hit. Ademowo (2016) also puts that every month; malaria kills nearly as many people as AIDS has killed in the past 15 years. In Nigeria, the scholar notes that the transmission of the disease is very tense and occurs all year round in most parts of the country reaching its peak during the raining season.  At the moment, one of the major preoccupations and challenges of African countries and the Third World countries in general is how to combat the menace of malaria. The disease is not only endemic, it is equally regarded as a killer disease.

Oso (2010) stated that radio media is inappropriate to the residents in terms of communicating information on health care system, and other development issues. Inability of radio media to provide need information and high level of ignorance among people are problems associated with the use of radio media as means of creating awareness on malaria prevention and this has caused set back in fight against malaria. Therefore, this study intends to investigate the impact of radio on sensitization of Abeokuta south Resident on causes and prevention of malaria.

1.3       OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The main objective of the study is to investigate the impact of radio on sensitization of Abeokuta south Resident on causes and prevention of malaria.  Other specific objectives of the study are to;

1. To find out the level of people exposure to health programmes on radio
2. To examine the effectiveness of radio enlightenment programs on use of mosquito treated nets for malaria prevention.
3. To determine if radio messages on malaria control are participatory
4. To identify the factors that impede the success of radio programs in preventing malaria
   • RESEARCH QUESTIONS
5. What is the level of people exposure to health programmes on radio?
6. To what extent do radio enlightenment programs influence use of mosquito treated nets for malarial prevention
7. To what extent do radio messages on malaria control are participatory
8. what is the factor that impede the success of radio programs in preventing malaria

1.5       RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

H0: There is high level of people exposure to health programmes on radio

H1: There is no high level of people exposure to health programmes on radio

H0: Radio enlightenment programs do not influence use of mosquito treated nets for malarial prevention.

H2: Radio enlightenment programs influence use of mosquito treated nets for malarial prevention.

H0: Radio messages on malaria control are not participatory

H3: Radio messages on malaria control are participatory

1.6       SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This research study is very significant considering the fact that malaria today all over the world has become a serious threat to the global development. Hence, this research work is very significant because it is a contribution towards the prevention war being waged against malaria across the world.

This research is also very significant in that it can serve as a veritable source of information for policy makers in Nigeria and across African continent on how television can be used to reach people on malaria prevention.

To the academics with special interest in health communication, this dissertation is also very significant because it can serve as a good platform of research effort on other issues within the confines of health communication.

1.7       SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study will cover various activities of OGBC Audience in Abeokuta south on impact of radio on sensitization of Abeokuta south resident on causes and prevention of malaria

1.8         LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

Like any other research, the study faced some limitations. To begin with, some respondents were reluctant to divulge the much required information for the study and this was a big challenge. The study, however, made use of supportive documents from relevant authorities to prove that the activity was a genuine research case carried out purposely for academic reasons. In addition, during the study respondents were assured that all responses would be treated with utmost confidentiality they deserved.

Some of the respondents were very hostile and unapproachable. However, the study went ahead and worked with those who were willing to participate in the study

Finally, time constraint is another limitation in the conduction of this research work. Although, despite the researcher work-load in preparing for the final examination during this research work, serious efforts were made to keep appointments with respondents and collection of other data that are objective factual and adequate for this research work.

1.9       DEFINITION OF TERMS

Malaria: This is regarded as a serious and sometimes fatal disease caused by a parasite that commonly infects a certain type of mosquito which feeds on humans.

Prevention: An action to stop malaria from happening

Control: This is reduction of the global prevalence of an infectious disease in its human or animal host(s) to zero

Mass media is a diversified collection of media technologies that reach a large audience via mass communication.

Radio health program is a segment of content intended for broadcast on radio for maternal health. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series.

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