THE INFLUENCE OF BROADCAST MEDIA CAMPAIGNS ON VESICO VAGINA FISTULA PREVENTION AND CONTROL IN SOUTH-EAST NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

This study evaluates the broadcast media campaigns of vesico vagina fistula on the knowledge, attitude and practice of south-eastern Nigerians. It was anchored on the model known as Health belief model. Using explanatory mixed method in which Questionnaire and interview served as the instrument for data collection, the population of the study was drawn from five state capitals in South-East zone in Nigeria, from a ward of each state capital and ward from each local government of the five states, sample size of 342 respondents were selected. From the data collected and analysed, it was revealed that the awareness level of the people is 58.6% and the knowledge level of the people is 50% and influence on their attitude and practice is 40%. Though it may be correct tosay that awareness level on VVF is high, it has not made available enough volume of VVF information on the larger populace to influence their knowledge base and by extension their attitude and practice for the better. Based on the results, it is recommended that to help the populace adopt better health seeking behaviours and avoid VVF, campaigns on the need to better understand VVF prevention should be aired more frequently. This will help to sensitize the people on the seriousness of this health condition and prevent them from those practices and attitudes that can cause it.