Investigating Health Communication Interventions on Three Major Illnesses in Nigeria

Background: Communication methods are used to create and increase public awareness of a disease; its causes and treatment; change a person’s or group’s attitudes about a disease; advocate for policy changes in favor of prevention and control, and create social norms that favor healthful living.

Objectives: This study sought to examine the health communication interventions so far used on HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB in Nigeria, find out what has been achieved in the process and suggest how the status quocan be improved.

Methods: A total of 390 respondents comprising healthcare providers, patients and the general public in the selected states; Enugu (Southeast), Kaduna (Northwest) and Oyo (Southwest) states in Nigeria were sampled using questionnaire. It was a Cross-sectional study.

Results: Health communication interventions on HIV/AIDS are majorly received through radio (34.7%), friends (30.1%) and television (18.85%). For malaria, television and radio predominate (31.9%) and (26.7%) respectively, then newspaper (13.1%). However, TB was chiefly through health facilities (30.1%) then television (20.1%) and newspaper, (12.9%). Major types of intervention messages on the illnesses include HIV/AIDS Preventive (76.6%), Malaria Drug use (37.3%) and Tuberculosis control (38.8%). Lack of knowledge of available media was the major factor identified as hindering communication interventions for the 3 diseases. (HIV/AIDS 29.8%, Malaria 32.6% and TB 35.7%).

Conclusion: There is a need for attitudinal change by all to ensure that the level of awareness is matched with action and subsequently influence the adoption of intervention measures to improve management of these diseases.