EFFECTIVENESS OF MEDIA IN COMMUNICATING HIGH-BLOOD PRESSURE MESSAGES AMONG RURAL HOUSEHOLDS IN ABIA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study assessed the effectiveness of media in communicating high blood pressure messages among rural households in Abia State. A multi-stage random sampling technique was adopted in selecting 150 rural households for the study. Data for the study was collected using questionnaire.  Data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics such as simple regression analysis. Results showed that seminar workshop (3.38), social network (3.37), campaign ads (3.34) government policy (3.35), health programs (3.12) and religious gathering (3.08) were the sources of information of High Blood Pressure Messages. A grand mean of (showed low effect of media in communicating High Blood Messages to the rural households in the study area. Result on the effectiveness of media in communicating High Blood Pressure Messages among the rural household showed a grand mean of 3.0 indicating that media was effective in communicating high blood messages to rural households. The result on the simple regression analysis showed that the coefficient of the behaviour of the rural people was significant at 1% and directly related to media. The study concludes that media was effective in communicating High Blood Pressure messages to the rural households in Abia State. The study therefore recommends among others that ministry of health through the help of extension agents should do more awareness on high blood pressure.