Main Article Content

Potential Impact of the Mass Media on Family Planning in an Urban Community in South Western Nigeria


Lola V Adekunle
Isaac O Olaseha
Joshua D Adeniyi

Abstract

Context: The role of radio and television message is an important factor in creating and changing the values, ideas and attitudes of people in Public Health. Fertility regulation in Nigeria is still yet to meet the optimum level.

Objectives: The research therefore is designed to assess the role of mass media, radio and television in family planning messages.

Study Design, Setting and Subjects: The study involved 503 females and males of child bearing age at Ife Central District, South Western of Nigeria. Information on respondents socio-economic characteristics family planning practices, their knowledge and attitude, source of information and use of family planning methods including habits and media preference of the respondent were also collected.

Results: Radio was found to be the most common source of information. Fifty-three percent reported that they got family planning messages through the radio as against 10.1% through the television in spite of the fact that 68.5% of the respondents had television and 89.1% had radio. Seventy-two percent of the respondents had never visited family planning clinic. The most favourite programme on T.V. was drama while that of the radio was the news.

Conclusion: The need to intensify and integrate family planning message into television drama and radio news was identified as this could play a significant role in family planning.

Key Words: Family Planning Messages, Radio, Television, Mass Media.

[ Trop J Obstet Gynaecol, 2004;21:88-90]

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eISSN: 0189-5117