| Abstract: |
In recent times, Cholera outbreaks have continued to be a significant public health concern in Rivers State, claiming lives, causing economic hardship, and precipitating social and political upheaval. The persistence of this disease despite various efforts to address it especially in an area like Rivers State where people are exposed to radio messages about the epidemics' preventive measures necessitated the study. This study sought to determine the level of awareness and perception as well as the influence of this coverage on the perception of Rivers State residents. Underpinned by perception theory, the study adopted the survey design. With a population of 8,002,111, a sample size of 384 was reached using the Meyer sampling size determination template. The multi-stage sampling involving purposive and random sampling techniques was employed. Purposive sampling was used to select two LGAs- Port Harcourt City, and Obio/Akpor. While Port Harcourt and Choba were randomly selected from these LGAs. The questionnaire which served as the primary source of data was structured using four-points Likert rating scale and analysed using mean criterion. Findings indicated that, Rivers State residents were highly aware of Nigeria Info 92.3 and Treasure 98.5 FMs' coverage of the cholera outbreak as the residents perceived the coverage to be informative and helpful. The study concluded that radio is a medium for disseminating health information and promoting behaviour change, thus, showing a connect between awareness and perception. The researchers recommended among others that, radio stations should continue to prioritise health information, providing regular updates on preventive measures. |
