An Assessment of the Broadcast Media in the Campaign Against Malaria in Rural Community
CHAPTER ONE
OBJECTIVES OF STUDY
The basic objectives of this study are:
- To examine the nature of malaria in Ethiope East L.G.A.
- To ascertain the awareness level of broadcast media campaigns against malaria in Ethiope East L.G.A .
- To determine how audience response to malaria campaigns on broadcast media in Ethiope East L.G.A.
- To find out the demographic factors that affect audience awareness to malaria campaigns by broadcast media in Ethiope East L.G.A?
- To find the challenges hindering media campaigns of malaria in Ethiope East L.G.A?
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
INTRODUCTION
Our focus in this chapter is to critically examine relevant literatures that would assist in explaining the research problem and furthermore recognize the efforts of scholars who had previously contributed immensely to similar research. The chapter intends to deepen the understanding of the study and close the perceived gaps.
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
CONCEPT OF MALARIA
Malaria is one of the febrile illness and the most common fatal disease in the world caused by one or more species of plasmodium. These are plasmodium falciparum, P. Vivax, P. Ovale, P. Malariae, and P. Knowlesi. Most deaths are caused by P. falciparum because others generally cause a milder form of malaria (WHO, 2011).
Parasitic infection of red blood cells is caused by Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium malariae and Plasmodium ovale.
Malaria remains a great human scourge. Adults and children below 5years are among the most vulnerable groups. Considering the closeness between mother and child, effective measures put in place to protect the mother from malaria could also protect the child and hence reduce the morbidity and mortality related to malaria. The World Health Organization during its Global ministerial conference on malaria in 1992 in Amsterdam, approved a number of control measures which included early diagnosis and prompt effective treatment, chemoprophylax is in susceptible groups, reduction of man vector contact, Information Education and Communication, surveillance and research.
PATHOGENESIS
During the life cycle of malaria parasites in human body, Mosquito infects a person by taking a blood meal. Initially, sporozoite enters the blood stream and migrate to the liver. They infect liver cells (hepatocytes); where they multiply into merozoites, rupture the liver cells and escape back into the blood stream. Then, the merozoites infect red blood cells, where they develop into ring forms, trophozoites and schizonts which in turn produce further merozoites. Sexual forms (gametocytes) are also produced, which if taken up by a mosquito, will infect the host and continue the life cycle. Malaria develop into too phases- exoerythrocytic and erythrocytic cycle/phases. Exoerythrocytic has to do with infection of hepatic or liver cells while erythrocytic phase entails infection of erythrocytes or red blood cell, the sporozite migrates to the liver and infects the hepatocytes. It can continue to multiply without showing any symptoms within 8-30 days (cogsnell, 1992).
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, we described the research procedure for this study. A research methodology is a research process adopted or employed to systematically and scientifically present the results of a study to the research audience viz. a vis, the study beneficiaries.
RESEARCH DESIGN
Research designs are perceived to be an overall strategy adopted by the researcher whereby different components of the study are integrated in a logical manner to effectively address a research problem. In this study, the researcher employed the survey research design. This is due to the nature of the study whereby the opinion and views of people are sampled. According to Singleton & Straits, (2009), Survey research can use quantitative research strategies (e.g., using questionnaires with numerically rated items), qualitative research strategies (e.g., using open-ended questions), or both strategies (i.e., mixed methods). As it is often used to describe and explore human behaviour, surveys are therefore frequently used in social and psychological research.
POPULATION OF THE STUDY
According to Udoyen (2019), a study population is a group of elements or individuals as the case may be, who share similar characteristics. These similar features can include location, gender, age, sex or specific interest. The emphasis on study population is that it constitute of individuals or elements that are homogeneous in description.
The main focus of this study is to assess office technology skills preferred by employers in some selected business organization using Abia State as case study.Thus Chief Executive, Managing Directors and Personnel Managers forms the population of the study.
SAMPLE SIZE DETERMINATION
A study sample is simply a systematic selected part of a population that infers its result on the population. In essence, it is that part of a whole that represents the whole and its members share characteristics in like similitude (Udoyen, 2019). In this study, the researcher adopted the convenient sampling method to determine the sample size.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents the analysis of data derived through the questionnaire and key informant interview administered on the respondents in the study area. The analysis and interpretation were derived from the findings of the study. The data analysis depicts the simple frequency and percentage of the respondents as well as interpretation of the information gathered. A total of one hundred and fifty (150) questionnaires were administered to respondents of which only one hundred and forty-one (146) were returned and one hundred and forty-one (141) validated. This was due to irregular, incomplete and inappropriate responses to some questionnaire. For this study a total of 141 was validated for the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
SUMMARY
The primary objective of this study is to assess the broadcast media in the campaign against malaria in rural community. The study further discussed the extent at which malaria affect the people in Ethiope-East L.G.A, the extent are the broadcast media carry out campaigns against malaria, the extent do audience respond to malaria campaigns on broadcast media , the demographic factors affect audience awareness of malaria campaigns by broadcast media and the challenges facing the broadcast media in campaigning against malaria in Ethiope East L.G.A.
The research adopted the survey descriptive design and with the aid of convenience sampling method, the researcher conveniently selected One-hundred and fifty (150) participant who are Ethiope East L.G.A.. Self- structured questionnaire was issued to the respondent of which one-hundred and forty-one (141) responses were retrieved and validated for the study. The study made use of of descriptive analysis and inferential statistics where data from field survey was analyzed using simple percentage, mean and standard deviation presented in frequencies and tables.
CONCLUSION
Malaria has been on the global health agenda for more than six decades now. Despite the appreciable achievement recorded in the global fight against the disease evidenced by reduction in mortality from about one million in the 1990s to 446,000 currently (World Health Organisation, 2018), Nigeria remains the most malaria endemic country in the world. Nigeria alone accounts for 27% of malaria cases globally and 24% of malaria deaths annually. About three out of 10 persons having malaria in the world live in Nigeria and one out of four deaths from malaria globally occurs in Nigeria (Obinna, 2018). The sum of these statistics is that malaria kills 107,040 Nigerians every year or 293 people daily. Nigeria therefore, is important in the global efforts to eliminate malaria.
The Nigerian malaria control programme emphasises the use of insecticide-treated nets for malaria prevention as well as Artemisinin Combination Therapy (ACT) for malaria treatment. With malaria becoming resistant to chloroquine and other malaria drugs in many regions of the world, the use of mass media to sensitize people on the need to use ITN has been paramount. The necessity of successful health message transmission to the general public has prompted health communicators, educators, and advocates to research and use social media and other forms of mass media. Recent study has uncovered how people really interact with health information and how they like to interact with health information. This is because one of the fundamental goals of public health is to effectively communicate health information to individuals and communities. Individuals, groups, and societies may all benefit from timely and accurate communication. Individuals’ awareness, knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacy, abilities, and commitment to behavior change can all be affected by effective health communication. When creating health education campaigns, health educators and professionals frequently use a diverse strategy to bridge the gap between real and desired means of vital health information acquisition. In addition to face-to-face programming, health education campaigns frequently include television advertising, Internet programs, radio broadcasts, and public service announcements. From the result of the study it can b e concluded that:
- The extent at which malaria affect the people in Ethiope-East L.G.A is high.
- The extent are the broadcast media carry out campaigns against malaria is high.
- The extent do audience respond to malaria campaigns on broadcast media is high.
- The demographic factors affect audience awareness of malaria campaigns by broadcast media includes location and exposure, occupation, level of education and access to electricity and electronic gadget
- The challenges facing the broadcast media in campaigning against malaria in Ethiope East L.G.A includes lack of sponsors, target audience lacks access to radio and television gadget, audience health belief on appropriate malaria treatment and channel’s poor signal strength .
RECOMMENDATION
From the findings of the study, the following recommendations are made:
- Media organization need to recognize that they have an important role to play in the fight to minimize health misinformation in Nigeria and across Africa thus this should enhance their effectiveness in performing their social responsibility of sensitizing the masses on health matters.
- News and program content need to be carefully sourced and tailored to ensure that listeners in cities and at the grassroots, receive updated and accurate information about health matters especially regarding the use of insecticide treated net.
- Government and private sector support are also necessary for radio to function effectively in Africa. Sadly, many mass media organizations are underfunded.
- Health practitioner should endeavour to volunteer in phone-in-programme as they have core knowledge on the subject and will bring clarity to audience questions
- Policymakers and Government should ensure they build the confidence and trust of the masses toward accepting health communication messages via radio and as well ensure that government provides it in large quantity to reach the rural dweller.
- Civic societies should endeavor to collaborate with knowledgeable healthcare workers to go on outreach and enlighten the masses on the need to take the health communication messages on malaria shared on med.
REFERENCES
- Adelana, O. 2020 (2020) Nigeria, Radio Dramas are set to Burst Myths around COVID-19, Retrieved from: https://www.wsscc.org/media/ resources/nigeria-radio-dramas-are-setbust-myths-around-covid-19
- Aderebigbe, S. A., Olatona, F. A., Sogunro, 0., Alawade, G., Oluwole, A. B. … et al. (2014). “Ownership and utilization of long lasting insecticide-treated nets following free distribution campaign in Southwest Nigeria.” Pan African Medical Journal, 17: 263.Doi: 10.11604/pamj.2014.17.263.3927.
- Adeyemo, M. 0. A., Oluwatosin, A., Osuala, E. 0., Oladapo, M. M. and Lawal-Adeyemo, A. A. (2017).”Awareness and utilization of artemisininbased combination therapies among mothers of under-five children in a local government area in Nigeria.” App. Sci. Report,17(2):35-40Doi: 10.15192/PSCP.ASR.2017.17.23540
- Adjah, E. S. 0. and Panayiotu, A. G. (2014). “Impact of Malaria related messages on insecticide-treated net (ITN) use for malaria prevention in Ghana.” Malaria Journal, 13:123 www.malariajournal.com/content/13/1/123
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