HEALTH MESSAGES AND COMPLIANCE BY UNDERGRADUATE CONSUMERS OF ROADSIDE FOOD AROUND UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES IN ANAMBRA STATE

Chibuike Julius Nwosu, Adaobi Olivia Okeke, Chiazor Anthonia Chiaghana

Abstract


The overall purpose of this study was to ascertain the level that undergraduate students in universities around Anambra State comply with health messages on the dangers of patronizing roadside food outlets. The study was guided by four research questions which include the following: To what extent are university undergraduate students in Anambra State exposed to messages on health implications of patronizing roadside food outlets? To what extent are the undergraduate students knowledgeable on the implication of patronizing roadside food outlets? To what extent do these students comply with messages of health implication of eating at roadside food outlets? What demographic factors affect the undergraduate students’ compliance with the health messages on the implications of eating at roadside food outlets? Anchored on the Health belief Model, the study adopted the survey research method. Findings suggest that: undergraduate students in universities around Anambra State were exposed to health messages on the implication of patronizing roadside food outlets. The research further reveals that majority of the undergraduate students were knowledgeable on the implication of patronizing roadside food outlets. Surprisingly, irrespective of the undergraduate students’ exposure and knowledge of the dangers of eating at roadside food outlets, it was discovered that they did not comply with health messages on the dangers of eating at roadside food outlets. Furthermore, the findings also reveal that such demographic factors like: age and class level of the undergraduate students’ had influence on their compliance with dangers of patronizing roadside food outlet, gender however did not. The researchers therefore recommended that communication experts get fully involved in the development of health-behviour change messages. They should look from within and identify factors that would negatively affect strategic health media messages intended to bring about sustainable health behavior change for a better living.

Keywords


Compliance; Exposure; Knowledge; Health Messages; Roadside food outlets;

Full Text:

PDF

References


Adedoyin, S.O., & Oyewusi, F.O. (2015). A survey of needs and utilization of health information among young adults in Abeokuta, Ogun State Nigeria. Journal of Library Philosophy and Practice. 12 (9), 12-20

Adebukola, O.C., Opeyemi, O.A.., & Awoshika I.A. (2016). Knowledge of food borne infection and food safety practices among local food handlers in Ijebu-Ode Local Government Area of Ogun State. Journal of Health Communication, 7(9), 268-273

Adum, A.N., Ekwenchi, O.,Orjiakor, O. & Nwosu, J. (2019). Health information and sanitary conditions around local eateries: Nigerian South Eastern Universities perspectives. International Journal of Communication and Media Science, 6 (1), 34-42

Bamidele, J.O., Adebimpe, W.O., Oladele, E.A., & Adeoye, O.A. (2004). Hygiene practices among workers in local eateries of Orolu community in South Western Nigeria. Annals of Medical and Health Science Research 2 (12).

Bernhardt, J.M. (2004). Communication at the core of effective public health. Journal of Public Health 1 (2), 2051- 2052.

Center of Disease Control (2011). Health Communication Basics. Retrieved From www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/healthbasics/whatishc.htm.

Chalmers, D. (1997). The Conscious Mind: In Search of Fundamental Theory. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Charlmers, D. (1997). The conscious mind: In search of a fundamental theory. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Chowdhury , Zaman and Bari (2014). Food safety challenges towards safe, healthy and nutritious street food in Bangladesh. Journal of Health Communication1 (19), 19-28.

Chukwuocha, U.M., Dozie, I.N., Amadi, A.N., Nwankwo, B.O., Ukaga, C.N., & Aguwa, O.C. (2009). The knowledge, attitude and practices of food handlers in food sanitation in a metropolis in South Eastern Nigeria. East African Journal of Public Health. (6), 240243

Clayton, D.A., Griffith, C.J., Price, P., & Peters, A. C. (2002). Food handlers’ beliefs and selfreported practices. International Journal of Environmental Health Research. (12), 25-39.

Don, L. (2002). Perception and our knowledge of the external world (Third edition). London: Psychology Press.

Emmanuel, C., & Uzuegbunam, C. (2015). Young people’s engagement of social media for social transformation: Study of Nigeria university students. Online Journal of Communication and Media Studies. September Issue.

Emily, Z., & Woolf S.H. (2014). Understanding the relationship between education and health. Journal of National Academy of Sciences, 12 (1), 39-52

Fashea, O., Ogunsola, E., & Hastruup, E. (2013). Assessment of food safety practices in rural community in south west Nigeria. Journal of Food and Public Health 6 (3), 2-9.

.

Farmular, J. (2014). Effectively Sending Messages to Different Target Audiences Through Social Media. Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1122&context=grcsp

Freimuth, V., Cole, G., and Kirby S. (2000). Issues in evaluating mass mediated health campaigns. In WHO Monograph “Evaluation in Health Promotion: Principles and perspectives. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe.

Glik, D. (2005). Health communication in popular media formats. Retrieved From http://www.medscape.org/viewarticle466709.

Gordon, J.C. (2002). Beyond knowledge: Guidelines for effective health promotion. Journal of Extension 40 (6).

Gustav, A., Patterson K.O., Sandberg, J., Kabakvenger, J., & Agardh, A. (2014). Association between mass media exposure and birth preparedness among women in south western Uganda: a community based survey. Global Health Action 7 (1), 200-213.

Heldman, A.M., Schindelar, J., & Weaver, J.B. (2013). Social Media Engagement and Public Health Communication: Implications for Public Health Organizations Being Truly “Socialâ€. Public Health Reviews, 35 (1), 127.

Julie, O. (2018). When Cotton Mather Fought the Small Pox. New Jersey: American Heritage Publishing Company.

Locke, D. (2002). Perception and Our Knowledge of the External World. Journal of Psychology Research, 3 (33), 682-698.

Ma, L., Chen, H., Yan, H., & Wu, L. (2019).Food safety knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of street food vendors and consumers in Handan, a third tier city in Chin. BMC Public Health 1 (19), 123-141

Majara, O. (2010). Food safety and knowledge of hygienic practices among hoteliers. In: Daily Mirror. International Journal of Health Research, 26, 3-6.

Malungu, N. (2015). Risk factors and outcome of food poisoning in Africa. Journal of Public Health 5 (1), 123-135

Mboho, M., & Batta, H. (2008). Theorizing health client’s therapeutic decision system: Implications for health communication. In I.E. Nwosu, E.O. Soola & L.E. Nwodu (Eds). Communication for health and sustainable development in Nigeria. Enugu: Rhyce Kerex Publishers.

Murad, S., Baydoun, E., & Daghir, N. (2017). Foodborne disease in the Middle East. Nature Public Health Emergency Collection. 1 (25), 389-440.

Nelson, O., & Salawu, A. (2016). Effective use of media awareness campaigns for breast cancer care among women: A comparative study. Journal of International Women's Studies, 17, 160-173.

Ngigi, S., & Busolo, D. (2018). Behaviour change communication in health promotion: Appropriate practices and promising approaches. International Journal of Innovative Research and Development, 9 (7), 10 – 21.

Ngigi, S., & Busolo, D.N.(2018). Behaviour change communication in health promotion: Appropriate practices and promising approaches. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth, 7 (9), 234.

Nwabueze, N.O., Nwakor, P.U. (2015). Media accessibility and utilization of health messages by Imo rural women: A study of Owerri Province. Journal of Communication and Media Research 1 (1), 129-139.

Okojie, O.H., Wagbatsoma, V.A., & Ighoroge, A.D. (2005). An assessment of food hygiene among food handlers in a Nigerian university campus. Nigeria Postgraduate Medical Journal, 5 (12), 93-96.

Okojie, O.H., Wagbatsoma, V.A., & Ighorege, A.D. (2008). An assessment of food hygiene among food handlers in a Nigerian university campus. The Nigerian Postgraduate Medical Journal, 2 (12), 112-123.

Okolo, N., Nwachukwu, C., & Ajeoro, I. (2015), Health communication strategies. In O.S. Ike and S.E. Udeze (Eds.). Emerging Trends in Gender, Health and Political Communication in Africa. Enugu: Rhyce Kerex Publishers.

Okorie, N., Oyesomi, K., & Olusola, O. (2014), Effective use of information sources for breast cancer care: interplay of mass media and interpersonal channels. JARBT 1-2.

Okpoko, C. (2013). Issues in health communication in third world countries. In N Okoro (ed.) Contemporary readings in media communication studies. Lagos: Benedette Publishers Ltd.

Okunna, C.S. & Omenugha, K. A. (2012). Introduction to Mass communication (Third Edition). Enugu: New Generation Ventures Ltd.

Peart, B. (2013). Impact of exhibit type on knowledge gain, attitudes and behavior. The Museum Journal 1 (27), 220-237.

Salawu, A., & Okorie, N. (2016). Effective use of media awareness campaigns for breast cancer among women: A comparative study. Journal of International Women Studies, 1 (2), 45.

Tilicia, L., Gamble, M., & Mouton, C. (2019). Examining association between health literacy and adherence to medication, Journal of Health Science 1 (2), 1124-1130.

Uzuegbunam, C. (2019). A child-centered study of teens’ digital lifeworlds from a Nigerian perspective. Retrieved from https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/parenting4digitalfuture/2019/10/16/a-child-centred-study-of-teens-digital-lifeworlds-from-a-nigerian-perspective/

Valkenburg, I., Peter, A., & Walther, O. (2016). Media effects: Theory and Research. Annual Review of Psychology, 67, 315-338.

Walker, E., Pritchard, C., & Forsythe, S. (2003). Food handlers’ hygiene knowledge in small food businesses. Journal of Food Control, 1 (14), 339-343.

World Health Organisation (2010). Prevention of food born diseases: Five keys to safer food: WHO Publications.

World Health Organisation (2020). Food Safety. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/food-safety

Yaya, S., Uthman, O.A., Amouzou, A., Ekhoulouenetale, M., & Bishwajit, G. (2018). Inequalities in maternal health care utilization in Benin: A population based cross sectional study. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth, 18 (1), 194.




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.47851/naujocommed.v1i2.80

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Department of Mass Communication. Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka.

ISSN:2756-486X (Online)

Â