PERCEPTION OF MASS MEDIA AS TOOLS FOR SENSITIZING RURAL DWELLERS ABOUT INFECTIOUS EPIDEMIC A CASE STUDY OF CORONA VIRUS IN NIGERIA

ABSTRACT 

This research work empirically explored the perception of mass media as tools for sensitizing rural dwellers about infectious epidemic: a case study of corona virus in Nigeria. The objectives of this study were to examine the level of COVID-19 media awareness to the rural populace in Oyo state, ascertain if the media campaign created a reasonable level of mass awareness of COVID-19 epidemic, causes, effects and prevention in the rural communities of Oyo state, identify if the awareness made any positive impact on the health behaviour of rural people in Oyo state. The scope of the study is Oyo state in 2020 making use of rural populace, information theory was used as a framework. The research design used for this study is survey, the population targeted for this study consists of all residence of the six communities selected in addition to all health care workers in the primary health care facilities situated there.  30 rural dwellers were used as sample size and cluster sampling technique was applied. Instrument used for this study is the questionnaire. Data collected were collected from primary sources. From the analysis of the data, the findings shows that COVID-19 media awareness in Oyo state was accessible to the rural populace, media campaign created a reasonable level of mass awareness of COVID-19 epidemic, causes, effects and prevention in the rural communities of Oyo state, the awareness made positive impact on the health behaviour of rural people in Oyo state. Following the findings, it was recommended that media campaign created on COVID-19 epidemic, causes, effects and prevention in the rural communities should be pushed further so it can get to the rest that have not heard of the disease, people should adhere to the instructions given to them by the media house. The study concludes that mass media has strong impact on the people.

Keywords: coronavirus disease, mass media, rural dwellers, Oyo state.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background to the Study

Controlling the spread of influenza to reduce the effects of infection on a population is an important mandate of public health sector. Mass media campaign can be used to provide information on current and effective vaccination, drug therapy and social distancing measures.

The world is fast becoming a global village and a necessary tool for this process is communication of which mass media is a key player. The quantum development in the mass media industry all over the world is very rapid as one innovation replaces another in a matter of weeks. Emerging trends in socio-economic growth shows a high premium being placed on information and communication technology (ICT) by homes, organizations and nations.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person. The virus that causes COVID-19 is a novel coronavirus that was first identified during an investigation into an outbreak in Wahan China. COVID-19 is spreading from person to person in China and limited spread among close contacts has been detected in some countries outside China including Nigeria. There is presently no vaccine to protect against COVID-19 and there is no specific antiviral treatment for COVID-19.

The sensitization and awareness campaign were to sensitize the populace on the cause of COVID-19, its symptoms, consequences and prevention methods. The media particularly social media, radio and television is used as a veritable instrument for creating the needed awareness and COVID-19 health education. Although some scholars argued that the use of social media is exclusively reserved for the educated. Government of Nigeria adopted media institutions with other traditional means of mass mobilization to create proper awareness of COVID-19 among rural communities. These institutions particularly the television and radio station adopted native vernacular or language as their means of communication.

This study, therefore, is posed to assess the level of awareness of COVID-19 among resident of different rural communities in Oyo state in the light of media sensitization campaign and the impact of the campaign on their precautionary health behaviour.

1.2. Statement of the Research Problem

The human health state considered the most critical to any country survival of a truism that healthy population bring about the desired goals. The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) discovered in 2019 spread from person to person. The first case of COVID-19 in Sub-Saharan Africa has been confirmed in Nigeria.

From evidence available to us, COVID-19 is presently in Nigeria,

The patient who first brought it to Nigeria is an Italian citizen who works in Nigeria and flew into the commercial city of Lagos from Milan on 25 February 2020. (BBC News, 2020).

Globally, more than 80,000 people in nearly 50 countries have been infected. Over 2800 have died, the vast majority in China’s Hubei province.

In Nigeria, the ability to contain this virus also lie within the help of the mass media. It is against this background that the researcher considered the study of the perception of mass media as tools for sensitizing rural dwellers about infectious epidemic: a case study of corona virus in Nigeria.

1.3. Objectives of the study

The aim of this study was to assess the perception of mass media as tools for sensitizing rural dwellers about infectious epidemic: a case study of corona virus in Nigeria. The specific objectives are to:

1. Examine the level of COVID-19 media awareness to the rural populace in Oyo state.
2. Ascertain if the media campaign created a reasonable level of mass awareness of COVID-19 epidemic, causes, effects and prevention in the rural communities of Oyo state.
3. Identify if the awareness made any positive impact on the health behaviour of rural people in Oyo state.

1.4 Research Questions

This study will be guided by the following research questions:

1. Is the COVID-19 media awareness in Oyo state accessible to the rural populace?
2. Has the media campaign created a reasonable level of mass awareness of COVID-19 epidemic, causes, effects and prevention in the rural communities of Oyo state?
3. Has the awareness made any positive impact on the health behaviour of rural people in Oyo state?

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