What Has Information Got to Do with Safe-Motherhood Practice? Analysis of Influence of Safe-Motherhood Programme on Women

Abstract

This paper examined women’s exposure to “safe-motherhood” which is a progrmme of RadioRivers 99.1FM station, Port Harcourt. It sought to find out whether exposure to this programme will spur women into adopting safe-motherhood practices like family planning and use of insecticide treated mosquito nets. The study adopted survey research design and used questionnaire in collecting data from the respondents. Using simple percentages in analysis, the study found that 93% of respondents are exposed to the programme while 82% have positive attitude towards the progrmme. Out of these 82% of the respondents who developed positive attitude towards the programme, only 20% were influenced by the progrmme. This shows that exposure to any radio progrmme does not guarantee adoption of the innovation being campaigned for. Based on this finding, the study recommends among other things that radio campaigns, especially on health issues, be accompanied by face- to- face contacts in order to strengthen attitude and spur audiences into positive actions.