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| February/March
2012 - Volume 10, Issue 2 |
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Role of Mass Media
in Health Promotion: Opinion from Different
Intellectuals in Aligarh Muslim University
Gopal
Agrawal (1)
Abrar Ahmad
(2)
Mohd. Zubair Khan
(3)
(1) Research Scholar, International Institute
for Population Sciences, Mumbai.
(2) Assistant Registrar, Maulana Azad National
Urdu University, Hyderabad.
(3) Professor & Dean, Faculty of Science,
Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh
Correspondence:
Gopal Agrawal, Research Scholar
C/O Prof. P. Arokiasamy
International Institute for Population Sciences
Deonar, Mumbai-400 088
India
Mobile: +91 9969049570
Email: gopalphd.iips@gmail.com;
gopalstats2006@gmail.com
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Abstract
Objective: To assess the level
of awareness of different diseases and
to explore the role of mass media in spreading
health awareness in Aligarh Muslim University
campus.
Methods:
A total of 1040 subjects of different
intellectual levels, who were representative
of the AMU community, participated in
this study. These subjects responded to
a structured questionnaire on awareness
of different diseases and sources of information.
Having heard of different diseases in
question, was defined as awareness.
Findings:
About 80 percent of respondents got information
about health from newspapers and magazines.
71 percent reported that television/radio
are among the best sources to get information
on health related issues.
Conclusion:
The study reveals that those exposed to
mass media had reported significant knowledge
about various morbidities and were likely
to seek better health care services. The
results underscore the importance of mass
media exposure in prevention and control
of diseases.
Keywords:
media, awareness, diseases, health promotion,
AMU, India.
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"Health Promotion is the art and science
of helping people to discover the synergies between
their core passions and optimal health, and become
motivated to strive for optimal health"
O'Donnell, American Journal of Health Promotion,
2009
Health promotion is a scientific approach to
empower people to recognize and control various
factors which determine their health and well
being. This is a way of responding to the health
care system and leads to assessment of health
system performance. For health promotion to
take place, societies must be adequately equipped
with different channels of health promotion
which have been identified as influential in
health promotion policies. In the real sense
of health promotion, people must have sufficient
health information and the necessary attitude
and skills to use this information for the benefit
of their own health (Bornman, 2000).
Optimal health is a dynamic balance of physical,
emotional, social, spiritual and intellectual
health. Lifestyle change can be facilitated
through a combination of learning experiences
that enhance awareness, increase motivation,
and build skills and most importantly, through
creating supportive environments that provide
opportunities for positive health practices.."(O'Donnell,
American Journal of Health Promotion, 2009,
23,5,i)
The complexity of, and the barriers in health
communication, necessitate the careful consideration
of appropriate media to enhance and improve
the success of communication. Various communication
media are available but to date little research
has been done to assist the communications manager/specialist
in the selection and utilization of mass media
for health promotion. This study has asked different
intellectuals to provide their view on the role
of media in order to promote a health campaign.
The present study is a primary survey
based study in the campus of Aligarh Muslim
University (AMU). Based on an expected
turnout of 85%, we selected 1040 subjects
representative of the population of Aligarh
Muslim University. A two-stage stratified
random sampling technique was used to
select subjects under study. In the first
stage, the total sample size was distributed
proportionate to the total number of subjects
in different faculties. The number thus
obtained was distributed proportionate
to their size in four different intellectual
groups namely, postgraduate, research
scholar, non-teaching and teaching. From
each determined group of subjects, the
desired number of subjects was chosen
systematically and interviewed with a
structured questionnaire. The final sample
size consisted of 233 research scholars,
441 postgraduate, 184 non-teaching and
182 teaching staff.
To assess the role of mass media, subjects
were asked two questions. Firstly, they
were asked "Do you think the listed
are good sources to get information on
health". For a positive response,
one more question was asked "Have
you ever got any useful information which
added to your knowledge on health aspects".
Those subjects who responded positively
to both the questions were defined as
exposed to that particular source of health
information e.g., exposure to mass media.
The diseases for which awareness was assessed
were diabetes, hypertension, tuberculosis,
asthma and HIV/AIDS. Heaving heard of
any of these diseases in question was
defined as 'awareness'. Multivariate logistic
regression models were fitted to examine
demographic associations of awareness
of diseases with age, gender, education
level and exposure to mass media. Analyses
were performed by using STATA 10.0 software.
A total of 1040 subjects were successfully
interviewed and examined in Aligarh
Muslim University campus representing
a participation rate of 85.5 percent.
Of these subjects, 786 (75.6%) were
male and 254 (24.4%) were female.
Source of health information
Table 1 presents the information
about the sources of health information
among subjects in AMU campus. All
the mass media channels including
newspaper/magazine and TV/Radio
had a disproportionate share to
the sources of health information
among different intellectuals in
AMU community. Significant differentials
were observed in the reporting of
source of health information among
different intellectuals in the AMU
campus. With the increasing level
of education, the prediction and
reporting status improved sharply.
Table 1: Percent rating of different
sources of health information in
AMU, Aligarh
Awareness of health conditions
Table 2 presents results on the
status of knowledge about various
health conditions among subjects
in the AMU campus. In comparison,
respondents are more likely to be
very familiar with each of the conditions
asked about- Asthma (52.1 %), HIV/AIDS
(58.2%), and Arthritis (34.9%),
Diabetes (59.0 %), Breast cancer
(34.0 %) and Parkinson's disease
(11.7 %), Epilepsy (19.2%) Muscular
Dystrophy (11.0%) Leprosy (26.5%),
Sinusitis (24.2%), Hypertension
(45.2%), Sciatica (13.4 %), RTIs/STDs
(20.6%) and T.B (54.2%). There is
not a good indication that (11.0
%) of respondents were not familiar
with Muscular Dystrophy while (11.7%)
were not familiar with Parkinson's
disease. Table 3 further reveals
the gender differentials in the
reporting of health conditions.
Surprisingly, females in AMU campus
reported higher levels of knowledge
about their health conditions compared
to males.
Table 2: Percent of respondents
familiar with critical health conditions
and diseases in AMU, Aligarh
Table 3: Gender-differential in
knowledge about health conditions/diseases
in AMU, Aligarh
Results from multivariate regression
model
To assess knowledge level regarding
health status among subjects in
the AMU campus, a scientific approach
has been employed. Table 4 presents
results from logistic regression
analysis showing the variation in
knowledge level about health conditions
by the respondents' background characteristics.
Here the dependent variable is of
binary responses coded as 1 if a
student had complete comprehensive
knowledge about health status i.e.
answered positively for all 12 diseases
otherwise coded as zero.
Students of the science stream and
other streams are respectively 12
percent and 35 percent less likely
to acquire knowledge on health conditions
compared with medical stream students.
Research scholars and teachers have
a higher likelihood of having comprehensive
knowledge about health and morbidities
than undergraduate and graduate
students. Significant differentials
were seen in having comprehensive
knowledge about health and disease
by sex. Females were 1.12 times
more likely to have higher knowledge
on diseases and health status. Unmarried
students had lower chances of reporting
knowledge about diseases.
Note: ®: reference category.
***p<0.01, **p<0.05, *p<0.10
Table 4: Logistic regression analysis:
Odd ratio showing variation level
of knowledge about disease and health
status in AMU, 2008
In its very first effort, the present study
documented critical evidence on the role of
mass media in health promotion. In addition,
the study has made an effort to study level
of knowledge about disease and health status
among different intellectuals and by the exposure
of mass media in the AMU campus. Subjects
who had exposure of mass media had a good
amount of knowledge on health and morbidities.
Though the primary aim of paper was to study
the role of media in health promotion, remarkable
variations are seen in reporting comprehensive
knowledge on disease and health states. Students
other than those of a medical background and
students enrolled in graduate courses have
a low level of comprehensive knowledge. Students
belonging to the Hindu community have shown
greater likelihood of having comprehensive
knowledge on diseases.
Though the study is based on a small sample
size, results have greater scope for policy
implications. India has mounted a broad
intervention program, including the government,
and international, non-governmental, and
community-based organizations. With the
existing limited infrastructure, universal
exposure to mass media could be a most plausible
solution and medium for health promotion
in the country. Mass media has the potential
to make a significant contribution in order
to achieve the goal of "Health for
All" in the country.
Dandona, R., Dandona, L., John, R.K.,
McCarty, C.A., & Rao, G.N. (2001). Awareness
of eye diseases in an urban population in
southern India. Bulletin of the World Health
Organization, 79 (2): 96-102.
Redman, S., Spencer, E.A., & Sanson-Fisher,
R.W. (1990). The role of mass media in changing
health-related behaviour: a critical appraisal
of two models. Health Promotion International,
5(1): 85-101.
Bornman, M. (2000). Digital Media as Communication
Tools for Health Promotion in Managed Health
Care. University of Pretoria,
Click here
for Table 5: Final distribution of sample
population by job & education category
and faculties
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