| dc.description.abstract | The objectives of the study were to establish the extent of exposure to ARVs mass communication messages; determine perceptions of home based care members about ARVs mass communication messages; and establish the influence of mass communication messages on behaviour change among home based care members.
The population of interest were members of home based care centres drawn from two localities in Nairobi. Out of the one hundred and fifty sampled respondents, 142 responded representing a response rate of 95 per cent. Data were collected through interviewer administered questionnaires. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as mean scores and percentages. Findings were presented in tables and charts.
The study established that Home - based care members perceived ARVs mass communication messages as easy to understand; well presented; contain adequate information; are well designed; show real life situation; and are convincing. However, respondents were neutral on whether the ARVs mass communication messages are well packaged.
It was revealed that respondents to a large extent (mean = 3.8) learnt about ARVs through mass communication messages; and to a large extent (mean = 3.6) mass communication motivated respondents to go for HIV/ AIDS test. The mass communication messages to a large extent (mean = 3.6) influenced respondents to accept their HIV status. However, it was indicated that mass communication messages only to a moderate extent influenced respondents to use ARV drugs (mean = 3.3); to recommend use of the ARV drugs to other people (mean = 3.3); and that only to a moderate extent (mean = 3.2) mass communication messages succeeded in stopping stigmatization. The study found that respondents were well informed about ARVs and their benefits but were challenged in accessing the drugs. These challenges ranged from stigmatization, delays and demand for bribes by health officials.
The influence of education levels and age on perception of mass communication messages was also established.
Though not under consideration as a medium through which information on ARVs
was received every week by respondents, inter-personal and by extension, workshops,
were frequently cited. It is a channel that needs to be exploited by Bee designers.
Given the importance of mass communication in influencing behaviour change the
recommendations are categorized into three, for:
i) Bee Designers
a) People involved in designing mass communication messages should conduct thorough research about their target audience(s) and understand their needs, likes, and dislikes. This understanding should be used in improving message package to suit the needs of people living with HIV/AIDS.
b) Suggested considerations for future Bees designs include incorporating information:
i) to dispel fallacies about ARVs stemming from cultural beliefs and misinformation through inter-personal communication (no room should be left for distortion of designed message).
ii) on known effects of usage of A VRs (gaining excessive body mass) and their management.
c) The appeal workshops and interpersonal modes of communication have on behaviour change should be exploited by Bee designers and incorporated in other media channels for optimum impact on desired
behaviour change.
ii) Policy Making
To augment the Nutrition Programme Policy already advanced by the Kenya Government, to ensure nutritional requirements while on ARVs are met for effectiveness. Many patients are known to give up taking the ARVs due to ignorance of the need to eat adequately to withstand the effects of the drugs, mostly due to loss of appetite on one hand and outright lack of food on the other.
iii) Further Research
1) To entrench the place of perception as a vital component to be considered in BCC designing, future research should also investigate the relationship between mass communication and any desired behaviour change among people.
2) Stigmatization affects the lives of those infected with HIV/AIDS. It is important that these people are accepted by members of the society. Since mass communication is inadequate in stopping stigmatization to the extent desired, only moderate as revealed in this study, future research should investigate what should be done to improve mass
communication effectiveness in stopping stigmatization, portraying HIV / AIDS as status that should not be stigmatized but understood and handled with the care it deserves. | en |
