Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
The first newspaper to be published in Nigeria, the Iwe-Irohin was mainly to
provide information for the people which have long become the role of the
newspaper to this present age. Ever since the first publication, to the present era of
contemporary newspaper, the newspaper has being one of the main sources of
information, education, entertainment, sensitization, and mobilization. However, the
newspaper reports of issues are mainly about activities in the urban areas where it is
situated, thereby giving rural issues less or no attention. The activities of the rural
areas especially in the health sector are under covered, if at all they are even
covered. Neglecting these issues, will only result in low government participation in
providing rural health care delivery to the rural people, thereby resulting in more
drastic rural health issues like endemic diseases such as guinea worm, meningitis,
cholera and diarrhea (Abdulraheem, 2012)
Up to 20l5, we have not yet completely realized the government's millennium
development goals (MGDs) of achieving (Health for all). This is even more evident
in the rural and remote areas where most of the worlds' populations live. Around the
world, the health status of people in the rural areas is generally worse than in the
urban areas (Strasser, 2003).
With the concentration of poverty, low health status and high burden of disease in
rural areas, there is a need to focus specifically on improving the health of people in
rural areas. This is where newspaper coverage of health related issues become
imperative. Particularly, if the newspaper devote more of its articles, features,
editorials and news stories on the health issues of the rural populace.
1
The newspaper, through its health dissemination roles can draw attention to these
health issues thereby mobilizing efforts towards addressing the problem.
Nwabueze, Ezeoke and Obiora (2011) states that: The newspaper plays a vital role in
the Promotion of National Health Programmes all over the world. Among the
essentials which are employed in the promotion of National Health Programmes in
Africa are education, information, entertainment, sensitization and orientation. In
order to effectively utilize the media especially the newspapers in implementing,
monitoring and evaluation are required.
The roles of the newspaper provide information about health and make people aware
of their health conditions so as to prevent the spread of various diseases. This makes
the newspaper significant source of health related medium which can shape the way
people think about and discuss health issues. This can be done by putting health
issues in the minds and lips of everyone. The newspaper concentrates more in the
urban areas in its reportage than the rural areas.
Strasser (2003) states that, access is the major rural health issues even in countries
where the majority of the population lives in rural areas, the resources are
concentrated in the cities. 'This includes the newspaper which is meant to bring out
these issues faced by the dominant rural people. A lot or known health problems are
rarely covered. It does not mean that there are no disease outbreaks, communicable
diseases and other ill health conditions that need urgent media coverage. It is
paramount to note here that a lot of rural dwellers suffer and even die as a result of
simple communication which they lack for the prevention and cure of diseases
prevalent among them.
The background given thus far shows that the health issues of the rural people which
constitute the large chunk of the Nigerian population is not adequately portrayed in
2
the Nigerian newspapers. It also shows that, as a result of the negligence, the rural
people are facing untold health challenges. Similarly, the background has shown
that print media practitioners are located in most urban centres. Therefore, the study
puts its searchlight on the health issues of rural areas published by the 2 Nigerian
newspapers, The Daily Trust, the Sun newspaper.
1.3
Research questions
Based on the problems and objectives of the study, the following questions have
been designed to guide the study.
1.
Does Daily Trust, and the Sun news papers report rural health issues?
2.
To what extent do Daily Trust, and The Sun newspapers report health issues
in rural areas?
3.
What roles do Daily Trust and The Sun newspaper play in reporting health
issues in rural areas?
4.
What is the level of prominence given to rural health issues by the Daily
Trust, and the Sun newspapers?
1.5
The scope of this study is to study newspaper coverage of Health issues in Nigerian
rural areas: a content analysis of daily trust and the sun newspapers. The study shall
cover and be limited to the readers of Daily Trust and The Sun Newspaper using
Nasarawa Toto as a study.
1.6
1.7
Definition of terms
announcements, articles,
physical condition.
Rural Areas: This is any area that is characterized by a large population density and
also lacks basic social amenities like water, electricity, good roads, education and
access to good health facilities. It is the
urban areas.
Immunization: The process by which a person or animal becomes protected against
a disease. This term is often used interchangeably with
Antigens:
vaccination or inoculation.
References
Abdulraheern, 1., Oladipo, A. and Amodu, M. (2012). Primary health care
services in Nigeria: Critical issues and strategies for enhancing the
use
25/2/20l3.
Nwanbueze, C., Obiora, T. and Ezeoke, C. (2012). Print media coverage of world
malaria day201] in Nigeria. Benin Media Com journal. Vol. ), pp.139-149.
Okorie, N. and Oyedepo, T. (201 Oj.Newspaper reportage and its effect
towards promoting agricultural development in Nigeria. Journal 0/
MediaCommunicationVol.3(2).pp.27-32.
http:/www.academicjournals.org/JMCS. Accessed 21/6/2013.
Strasser, R. (2003).Rural health around the world: Challenges and
Family Practice.Vol. (20) 4 pp.457-
solutions.
463.http:lwho.int/whrll
Guardian
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1
Introduction
This chapter examines existing literature relevant to the subject of the study. It
reviews previous research studies, theories, and works that look into issues affecting
newspaper coverage of health issues in rural areas.
Thus, the chapter covers; theoretical framework, an overview of rural areas, an
overview of health, understanding health communication functions of newspaper,
newspaper and health communication, as they relate to the subject matter.
2.2
Review of literature
is mentioned in Africa, certain things are conjured in our minds. These images,
according to Udoaka centre on acute underdevelopment and poverty and they
manifest themselves in the form of bad roads, lack of water supply, poor housing,
poor sanitation and high rate of illiteracy. Udoak a further observes that the word
brings to mind geographic locations in Africa, with populations of hungry, wretched
looking people and stunted, kwashiorkor ridden children. It conjures the image of a
people, who suffer in the farms, from morning to evening, but whose harvest is not
commensurate with the efforts and time spent; it conjures the image of people who
8
are starring, eating at best, once in a day after returning from the market. According
to Asemah, et al. (2013:27) rural areas are such areas that lack the necessary
infrastructure to make a meaningful living. 'They lack infrastructure like good roads,
electricity, portable water, good market, banking institutions, good schools, health
centers, etc. Those in the rural areas need to go to urban areas whenever they need
such infrastructures. For example, people in the rural areas normally go to the towns
and cities whenever they need healthcare services. This explains why Anaeto and
Anaeto (2010:12) argue that what is seen in the rural areas in Africa is the picture of
poverty, unemployment, hunger, non-availability of infrastructure, illiteracy, lack or
basic social amenities, like portable water, good roads and hospitals e.t.c. In the
same vein, Aderanti (1982), cited in Asemah (2011) notes that living conditions in
the rural areas arc relatively poor. Colgate (2009), cited in Nwabueze (2010) defines
a rural community as an area where people's living condition is very poor. Rural
community as noted by Colgate, cited in Nwabueze (2010) is better defined by
looking at its characteristics, which include high level of illiteracy, low productivity,
cultural homogeneity one way of communication and absence of infrastructure,
among others.
From the foregoing therefore, the rural areas are the villages and the communities
that are outside the cities, towns and state capitals in a country. Contrary to what is
obtainable in the urban areas; closeness of the people to the natural environment,
greater social homogeneity, smallness of the communal aggregates, predominance of
agricultural occupations and relative sparse population arc what arc discernible in
the rural areas. Rural dwellers arc disadvantaged people, whose houses seldom have
running water and electricity, who live in extreme survival crises during rains, sun,
wind, storms, harmattan, blizzards and drought, who possess no good roads, no
portable water, are acutely isolated.
9
10
health is the science protecting and improving the health of communities through
education, promotion of health lifestyles as well as injury prevention.
Micheal Marmot, chair of the commission of social determinants of World Health
Organisation, an interview that most health problems are clue to social, political and
economic factors,
They key determinants of health of individuals and populations are the
circumstances in which people are born, grow, live, work and age", and those
circumstances are affected by the social and economic environment they are the
premature cause of disease and suffering; that's unnecessary. And that's why we say
a toxic combination of poor social policies, bad politics and unfair economics arc
causing health and disease on a grand scale.
Mitchell, Vibrant Health in the twenty first century (1983:8) states that; disease
never comes without a cause. It is not fate or our stars, nor is it often entirely due to
factors beyond our control. Most diseases are due to the simple out working of the
laws of cause and effect; they are mainly the results of violations of the laws of
health. This is good news because it means that most health problem are
preventable, or at least can be postponed our own choices can lead to better health
and longer life or poor health and early death.
In the past there used to be a very different patter of disease. Most illnesses and
deaths were due to infections. Poor or non-existent sanitation and public health
services allowed infections to spread. Poverty and inadequate food lowered people
resistance, and limited medical understanding meant that there were few effective
treatments. All these factors resulted in a high incidence of infectious disease and
premature death, as they still do in much of the developing world. Now the picture is
changing in the developing countries. The western diet' and lifestyle are becoming
11
more and more popular with everyone who can afford them. Sedentary work Gobs
in which you spend a lot of time sitting down) and cars are in demand, western style
high-fat fast food outlets are multiplying, the use of tobacco and alcohol is
increasing and with all these changes, so is the incidence of degenerative illness.
Pollock, Purdy and Carrol (1979: 16) suggests that "perhaps the easiest way for us to
think about health is more than the sum of its parts physical health, mental health,
and social health is what allows a person to live up to his or her full potential,
whatever that may be in order words, health is a means to an end, the end being a
full life. Health is as we arc describing, it is not easily measured, especially mental
and social health. A person is not necessarily healthy or unhealthy but usually is
somewhere in between health refers to both how you are at this moment and how
you are over a period of time. In this respect, health is always changing. As long as
you have life, you have some amount of health. But you are not at the exact same
level of health today as you were yesterday and will be tomorrow.
Many people think that health is simply the absence of disease. If you're not sick,
you're healthy Right? Wrong. We can easily see how this is so if we compare-two
people with typical nine-to- five jobs. Both are 35 years old. One-smokes several
packs of cigarettes a day, has three or more drinks every evening, is overweight, and
is often anxious. The other does not smoke, drinks alcohol rarely, exercises regularly
and is relaxed and confident. Both people may pass all laboratory tests and be
declared free of disease, but are they equally healthy? No. Because many people
confuse well being with the absence of disease, they settle for less than the best
possible health. We know a great deal about how to promote health and avoid
disease. We know about hazards of smoking, the risks of drugs, the value of good
diet and exercise. But his knowledge does not automatically assure us good health.
Good health comes only from acting on such knowledge.
12
Nwarnmuo (2008), stressed that the above approaches cannot work in isolation. She
maintains that the use of traditional media will go a long way in strengthening the
two approaches discussed above.
This is because traditional media which comprise of the market place, visits, town
crier, religious organizations and village squares have ways or convincing the
masses especially the rural people that the campaign is genuine. For the fact that the
messages are conveyed in their local dialects it enhances understanding and
assimilation. Communication is central to the heart of any Endeavour and therefore
it cuts across all spheres of human activities. This implies that without
communication, it will be difficult to achieve any meaningful result in the struggle
of achieving our goals and aspirations.
MacBride says communication maintains an animate life. It is also the motor and
expression of social activity and civilization; it leads people from instincts to
inspiration through system of enquiry and control. It creates a common fold of ideas;
it strengthens the feeling of togetherness through exchange of messages and
translates our thought into action, inflecting every emotion and our needs from the
humblest task of human survival to supreme manifestation of creativity.
Health communication encompasses the study and use of communication strategies
to inform and influence individual and community decisions that enhance health. It
links the domains of communication and health and is increasingly recognized as a
necessary element of efforts to improve personal and public health. Health
communication can contribute to all aspects of disease prevention and health
promotion and is relevant in a number of contexts, including (1) health professionalpatient relations, (2) individuals exposure to, search for and use of the health
information, (3) individuals' adherence to clinical recommendations and regimens,
14
(4) the construction of public health messages and campaigns, (5) the dissemination
of individual and population health risk information, that is, risk communication, (6)
images of health in the mass media and the culture at large, (7) the education of
consumers about how to gain access to the public health and health care systems,
and (8) the development of telehealth applications.
For individuals, effective health communication can help reuse awareness of health
risks and solutions provide the motivation and skills needed to reduce these risks,
help them find support from other people in similar situations, and affect or
reinforce attitudes. Health communication also can increase demand for appropriate
health services and decrease demand for inappropriate health services. It can make
available information to assist in making complex choices, such as selecting health
plans, care providers, and treatments. For the community, health communication can
be used to influence the public agenda, advocate for policies and programs, promote
positive changes in the socioeconomic and physical environments, improve the
delivery of public health and health care services, and encourage social norms that
benefit health and quality of life. The practice of health communication has
contributed to health promotion and disease prevention in several areas.
One is the improvement of interpersonal and group interactions in clinical situations
(for example, provider-patient, provider-provider, and among members of a health
care team) though the training of health professionals and patients in effective
communication skills. Collaborative relationships are enhanced when all parties are
capable of good communication.
Another area is the dissemination of health messages through public education
campaigns that seek to change the social climate to encourage healthy behaviors,
create awareness, change attitudes, and motivate individuals to adopt recommended
15
Advise: Newspapers also offer guidance and opinion to help shape people's
view on certain subjects or matters, as in extension to merely reporting the
facts of a matter, newspapers often have editorial or opinion pieces which
attempts to interpret events and offer new angels and implications about their
occurrence, there may also he reviews and opinions on sports matters and
commentary on personalities, theatre or cinema offerings and comments and
opinions on life in general.
iii.
iv.
17
2.3
Over and above information and transmission role of the media, the newspaper
provides to a large extent background details relevant to the news; explanations of
events; analysis of their importance and implications; the newspaper possess the
capacity to do this better than most other media. Dennis and Defluer, (1994) stresses
that: most importantly, the role of the media is largely insignificant (Black et al
1995).
Essentially, it is through any of these ways print, electronic (media) that the mass
communicator relates with the audience as Ugwu (2000: 1) puts it, every journalist
is considered all-knowing, according to Ugwu, for the average man in the society,
there is one understanding of who a journalist is, he is all-knowing in the villages,
city centres, and in fact, everywhere a large number of people are gathered, he is
often looked up to for information.
Mass media therefore, remains the key components of the global strategy for
sustainable health development through adequate, information and education on
issues such as drugs, vaccines and importance of qualified health personnel. Health
programmes through good living practices, prevention, cure and eradication of
diseases are advertised and publicized through the mass media (the pages of the
newspaper). Warnings about standard, fake expired drugs are issued to the masses
through the mass media thereby safeguarding thousands of people from dying
unknowingly from drugs they are taking.
Grabber, (1989) cited in Anyanwu (2004:3) buttresses this role of the media when
she said "besides calling attention to matters of potential public concern, the media
also provides cues to the public about the degree of importance of an issue. Matters
covered prominently by the media on the front page with big headlines and pictures,
or as a major television or radio feature are likely to be considered most important
19
by media audiences. Matters buried on the back pages arc for less likely to be
perceived as important coverage.
This is further emphasized by Stryker, Moriarty and Jenson (2008) in Jenson (2011)
"media coverage may influence individual health decision.
Where journalists cover health issues, Bonevski (2008) emphasised the importance
of subjecting stories to a test of quality by making sure the story provides answers to
the following salient questions. Was the novelty of the treatment reported? Was the
availability of the treatment reported?
Were treatment options described? Did the story. Contain clement of disease
mongering was the reporting of evidence reported? Were benefits formed in both
relative and absolute terms? Was there mention of potential harm? Was there
mention of costs? Was an independent comment included? Was the story sufficiently
different from the press release (where this was available)?
Media coverage of public affairs and issues does have a relationship with the
perception of reporters, correspondents, and editors of those issues. McQuail (2005)
confirmed that public content is influenced by media workers' socialization and
attitudes. It can also be said that journalists are not immune to the selective
processes of exposure, retention, and perception. Baran and Davies (1995: 141)
explained selective perception to means psychological recasting of message so that
its meaning is in line with a person's beliefs and attitudes".
Gray (1998) gave useful insights into the provision of health information by the
mass media, the reasons for the services, as well as what mass media consumers'
make of the information. Firstly, the mass media give members of the audience the
opportunity to expand their awareness of health issues while engaged in leisure
reading, listening and viewing. Media consumers whether they are active or passive
20
constitute, often find health information absorbed from the media useful to
themselves or those in their social circles. Secondly, health professionals are familiar
with the potential influence that the media have over consumers. This is why
manufacturers have connected the increasing deregulation of patent medicines to
serious promotional campaigns.
Bonevski. (2008) pointed out that, "despite its potential to inform and educate the
public about health issues, and influence health behavior varying degree of
inaccuracies and omissions in health news stories are found. Other problems include
unnecessary sensationalism, inadequate follow-through, and failure to consider the
quality of evidence, inaccurate portrayal of benefits, lack of consideration of adverse
effects and costs, and the failure to obtain comments from independent informatio
21
2.4
Theoretical Framework
There are severed communication theories that are relevant in discussing newspaper
and the coverage of health issues in rural areas. The study is therefore anchored on the
agenda setting theory and the gate keeping theory of the media.
2.4.1
does not stop at opening and closing the news gate, or rejecting and
foremost a gatekeeper and may have to perform this role at different periods in the
news process.
23
According to Folarin (2002), the factors influencing gate keeping decisions include
timing, ownership pattern, management policy, perceived needs and
the audience, editor's perception of reality, views held by
preferences of
editorscolleagues,
give to Issues.
role of news
listed above.
This theory is relevant to the research work, in the following ways; before
news
stories are being disseminated, it goes through a process. And this processing is done
by people (reporter, editor); these people arc those referred to as the gatekeepers. The
process of gate keeping begins from the reporter down to the chief-editor, who is at
the top of the hierarchy. These individuals determine what to report, how to report and
why it should be reported. Given this conditions, it will be rewarding if stories on
rural health issues are allowed to 'pass' the 'gate' so that they will influence the rural
people's opinion on their health issues. The reporter chose the angle to report from,
the editors
(interpretation), he may also decide to slant the story or change the story. And at the
same time the story may not see the light, if it pleases him. Therefore,
the reportage
on health issues in rural areas is as a result of these gatekeepers; who diligently, cover,
gather and disseminate more stories relating to rural health issues for a better'
understanding of events.
2.5
24
possible health. We know a great deal about how to promote health and avoid disease.
We know about hazards of smoking, the risks of drugs, the value of good diet and
exercise. But his knowledge does not automatically assure us good health. Good
health comes only from acting on such knowledge.
26
References
AbdulKareem, F. (2009).Epidemiology and incidence of common cancers in
Nigeria.paper presented at the cancer registration and Epidemiology
workshop. University of Lagos.
Asemah, E .(2011). Selected mass media themes. Jos: University Press.
Balta, H. (2004). Press Coverage of traditional medical practice. Uyo
Nigeria.Accessed 8/6/20 13http://www.whoint/gb/ebwwha/pdffiles/EB
115.
Bonita, R., Beagleholc, R, Kjellstrom, T. and WHO (2004).Basic
ephierni%&'Y (2nded.) Geneva: WHO Press.
Bittner, J. Davis, D. (2003). Mass communication theory: FOllndations,
ferment and future. New York: Thomson and Wadsworth.
De fleur, M. and Ball-Rocheach, S. (l989).Theories of mass communication.
New York: Longman.
Frye, K B (1982).Understanding health. New York: Random House.
Inc.http://www.who.int/bulletin/volume/87/410056713/cn/indcx.ht
m. Accessed 8/8/2013 11ansen, A., Cotle, S., Ncgrine, lZ. and New
Bold, C. (1998). M(JSS communication research methods. London:
Macmillan.
Kreuter, M. (1999) one size does not fit at all: The case for tailoring print
materials
Society
of
behavior medicine.
www.pumed,PMIDD21:276-283.Accessed10/6/2013,
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.0
Introduction
The purpose of this chapter is to describe the methods and procedure used in the
course of the research, the population and sample size of the study, the instruments
used, data gathering and analytic procedures.
3.1
The research shall make use of questionnaire administration to gather data from the
readers of Daily Trust and The Sun Newspapers. The sampling technique adopted
by the researcher is a Purposive sampling technique.
3.3
Research population
29
3.4
Sample size
Since the study covers all readers of Daily Trust and The Sun Newspapers in
Nasarawa Toto, therefore the sample size shall be selected using Taro Yamanes
Formula.
n=
N
1 + N (e)2
n = Sample size
N = Population (Sample Area)
1 = Coefficient
e = Degree of error (0.05)
n=
120
1 + 120(0.0025)
n=
120
1 + 0.3
n=
120
1.3
n=
92
30
3.5
For the purpose of this study, the instrument for data collection will be interview
guide and questionnaires.
3.6
For the purpose of interpreting and analyzing data or information, frequency count
and simple percentage will be employed.
31
References
Adibe, B. and Akuma, T. (2004), Advertising Today, New York: Random House
Publication.
Arens, W.F. (2004), Contemporary Advertising, New York: Richare D. Irwin Inc.
Baker, A. (2004), The Retailer Study on Successful Marketing and Advertising,
London Association Business Press.
Benson-Eluwa, V. (2003), Opinion Research: Tool for Public Relations, Enugu:
Virgin Creations.
Benson-Eluwa, V. (2004), Advertising Principles and Practices, Onitsha: AC
Global Publication.
Bourden, A. (2001), The Economic Effect of Advertising, London Associated
Business Press.
Burke, M. (2000), Advertising-The Uneasy Persuasion, New York: Basil Books.
Cannon, G. (2007), Advertising Role in Building Brand Equity, New York: The
New Edition Amacon.
Goldman, D. (2005), The Effectiveness of Television Advertising, New York:
Advertising as a Signal Norway Journal of Political Economy.
Gutenberg, M. (2003), Advertising as a Signal, Norway Journal of Political
Economy.
McLuhan, L. (1965), Advertising Role in Building Brand Equity, The Wall Street
Journal of Political Economy.
32
214-223
Nasarawa.
Pp.20-23
33
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANAYLSIS AND PRESENTATION
4.1 Introduction.
This chapter is analysis of data collected through the use of
questionnaire, handed out to 368 respondents. For clarity, simple
percentages, tables and explanations are used in presenting the
data collected.
4.2 Presentation and analysis of data
Table 1: Response rate
ITEM
FREQUENCY
No. distributed
92
No. returned
92
No. No returned
0
Total
92
Source: Field Survey, 2016
PERCENTAGES (%)
100
100
0
100
34
SECTION A (DEMOGRAPHY)
Table 4.1: What is your sex?
Sex
No. of Respondents
Male
70
Female
22
Total
92
Source: Field survey 2016
Percentage (%)
76.09
23.91
100
Percentage (%)
32.60
17.40
32.60
17.40
100
35
36
No. of
Percentage
Respondents
Single
37
Married
28
Divorce
18
Separated
9
Total
92
Source: Field survey 2016
(%)
40.22
30.43
19.57
9.78
100
No. of
Respondents
FSLC
9
SSCE
12
ND/NCE
21
B.Sc/HND
32
PGD/M.A/M.Sc
18
Total
92
Source: Field survey 2016
Percentage (%)
9.78
13.04
22.83
34.78
19.57
100
37
38
Percentage (%)
43.48
32.61
23.91
100
39
No. of Respondents
Percentage
6 Month-1
38
(%)
41.30
Year
2Years-5Years
5years and
34
20
36.96
21.74
above
Total
92
Source: Field survey, 2016
100
No. of Respondents
Percentage
(%)
44.57
31.52
23.91
100
Yes
41
No
29
Indifferent
22
Total
92
Source: Field survey, 2016
41
No. of Respondents
52
22
18
92
survey, 2016
Percentage (%)
56.52
23.91
19.57
100
No. of Respondents
Percentage
(%)
64.13
22.83
13.04
100
Yes
59
No
21
Indifferent
12
Total
92
Source: Field survey, 2016
43
No. of
Percentage
Respondents
Yes
44
No
42
Indifferent
6
Total
92
Source: Field survey, 2016
(%)
47.83
45.65
6.52
100
44
No. of Respondents
18
Percentage (%)
19.57
Agree
Agree
Strongly
26
37
28.26
40.22
Disagree
Disagree
Indifferent
Total
Source: Field
7
4
92
survey, 2016
7.61
4.35
100
45
No. of Respondents
20
Percentage (%)
21.73
Agree
Agree
Strongly
25
29
27.2
31.5
Disagree
Disagree
Indifferent
Total
Source: Field
8
10
92
survey, 2016
9.0
10.8
100
46
Question 10: How will you rate these newspaper the best
among others in terms of public health promotion?
Responses
High
Average
Low
Indifferent
Total
Source: Field
No. of Respondents
41
22
21
8
92
survey, 2016
Percentage (%)
44.57
23.91
22.82
8.70
100
47
No. of Respondents
18
Percentage (%)
19.57
Agree
Agree
Strongly
31
21
33.70
22.83
Disagree
Disagree
Indifferent
Total
Source: Field
12
10
92
survey, 2016
13.04
10.86
100
issues related to health are reported via Daily trust and the Sun
newspaper, 12(13.04%) Respondents, disagree that all issues
related to health are reported via Daily trust and the Sun
newspaper and 10(10.86%) Respondents were indifferent in the
opinion.
No. of Respondents
12
Percentage (%)
13.04
Agree
Agree
Strongly
33
40
35.87
43.47
Disagree
Disagree
Indifferent
Total
Source: Field
5
2
92
survey, 2016
5.43
2.17
100
50
No. of
Percentage (%)
Respondents
High
44
Average
27
Low
9
Indifferent
12
Total
92
Source: Field survey, 2016
47.83
29.35
9.78
13.04
100
52
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.1 Summary
This study was embarked upon by the researcher to investigate
the extent to which Nigerian newspaper cover health issues in
55
5.3 Recommendations
The study gives the following recommendations:
1.
lives of the rural people because they contribute to the GDP of the
economy of a nation, majorly in agricultural production. So giving
them inadequate attention is tantamount to jeopardising their
productivity in contributing to the nations economy. This further
explains that the media must perform its social responsibility role
as a catalyst of development and change. The media can do this
by setting these issues as agenda for discussion and people will
become more aware of the ills of the rural people. Or so, there are
advocacies by several scholars for community journalism.
However, what most of them actually advocate is the sitting of
media outfits in the rural communities, such as rural community
newspapers, radio and television. Health reporters are also to
liaise with health professionals and medical researchers to
understand the reports they get to be able to simplify if for public
consumption.
2.
3.
60
Reference
AbdulKareem, F. (2009).Epidemiology and incidence of common
cancers in
and Epidemiology
115.
Wadsworth.
De fleur, M. and Ball-Rocheach, S. (l989).Theories of mass
communication.
New York: Longman.
Frye, K B (1982).Understanding health. New York: Random House.
Inc.http://www.who.int/bulletin/volume/87/410056713/cn/indcx.ht
m. Accessed 8/8/2013 11ansen, A., Cotle, S., Ncgrine, lZ. and
New Bold, C. (1998). M(JSS communication research methods.
London:
Macmillan.
Kreuter, M. (1999) one size does not fit at all: The case for
tailoring print
materials
Society
of
behaviormedicine.
www.pumed,PMIDD21:276-283.Accessed10/6/2013,
Lovejoy. J, (2007). A content analysis of cancer news coverage in
i\ppalaehian
Awareness
Network: Functions of a
daily Newspaper
62
APPENDIX
QUESTIONNAIRE
Please thick ( ) in the appropriate box and answer
SECTION A (DEMOGRAPHY)
63
1. Sex
(1) Male [ ]
(2) Female [ ]
2. Age
(1) 16 20 [ ]
(2) 21 25 [ ]
(3) 26 30 [ ]
(4) 31 and above [ ]
3. Marital status
1) Single [ ]
2) Married [ ]
3) Divorced [ ]
4) Separated [ ]
4. Educational qualification
1) FSLC
[ ]
2) SSCE [ ]
3) ND/NCE [ ]
64
4) HND/B.Sc [ ]
5) PGD/M.A/M.Sc
5. Occupation
1) Civil servant
2) Business
3) Student
SECTION B
RESEARCH QUESTION ONE: Does Daily Trust and the Sun
Newspapers report rural health issues?
1. Do you read newspapers?
(1) Yes [ ] (2) No [ ]
(3) Indifferent [ ]
] (3) 5 years
and above
3. Do you see Daily Trust and the Sun newspapers reporting
rural health issues?
(1) Yes [
] (2) No [
] (3) Indifferent [
65
] (2) No [
] (3) Indifferent [
] (2) No [
] (3) Indifferent [
] (2) No [
] (3) Indifferent [
] (2) No [
] (3) Indifferent [
66
(5) Indifferent [
(5) Indifferent [
67
(5) Indifferent [
(5) Indifferent [
68