Conventional or Interpersonal Communication: Which Works Best in Disseminating Malaria Information in an Endemic Rural Bangladeshi Community?

Abstract

BackgroundSince 2007, BRAC has been implementing malaria prevention and control programme in 13 endemic districts of Bangladesh under the National Malaria Control Programme. This study was done to examine the role of different communication media in bringing about changes in knowledge and awareness which facilitate informed decision-making for managing malaria-like illnesses.MethodsA baseline survey in 2007 before inception of the programme, and a follow-up survey in 2012 were done to study changes in different aspects of programme interventions including the communication component. Both the surveys used the same sampling technique to select 25 households at random from each of the 30 mauza/villages in a district. A pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect relevant information from respondents in face-to-face interview. Analysis was done comparing the study areas at two different times. Statistical tests were done as necessary to examine the differences.ResultsThe intervention succeeded in improving knowledge in some trivial areas (e.g., most frequent symptom suggestive of malaria, importance of using insecticidal bed nets) but not in critical domains necessary for taking informed action (e.g., mode of malaria transmission, awareness about facilities providing free malaria treatment). Inequity in knowledge and practice was quite common depending upon household affluence, location of households in high or low endemic districts, and sex. Of the different media used in Information, Education and communication (IEC) campaigns during the study period, interpersonal communication with community health workers/relatives/neighbours/friends was found to be more effective in improving knowledge and practice than conventional print and audio-visual media.ConclusionThis study reiterates the fact that conventional media may not be user-friendly or culture-sensitive for this semi-literate/illiterate community where dissemination through ‘words of mouth’ is more common, and as such, interpersonal communication is more effective. This is especially important for initiating informed action by the community in managing malaria-like illnesses.

Nationwide evaluation of malaria infections, morbidity, mortality, and coverage of malaria control interventions in Madagascar

“…Consequences on Fever Case Management and Use of Bed Nets in Madagascar. Manuscript submitted], which is consistent with the apparent low coverage of conventional media that was observed in quantitative results, and with findings in other countries [ 26 ]. The same qualitative survey also suggest that mosquitoes density affect LLIN use [Mattern C, Raboanary E, Kesteman T, Rogier C, Piola P, Pourette D: Malaria is not a Problem.…”

Prevention and control of tuberculosis in workplaces: how knowledgeable are the workers in Bangladesh?

“…Again, majority of the workers being semi-literate (average schooling: 4 years), it was difficult for them to read and comprehend TB messages disseminated through posters and billboards. For this population, interpersonal communication with the health workers was the key source of information, which is consistent with what is also found in case of malaria communication [ 18 ].…”

A systematic review of knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about malaria among the South Asian population

“…Various symptoms and complications regarding malaria, such as jaundice, acute kidney injury, generalised tonic–clonic convulsions, severe anaemia, shock, metabolic acidosis, hypoglycaemia and hyperpyrexia were found among the patients with P. vivax in a study carried out by Nandwani et al ( 42 ), for which the symptoms are known to have been related with P. falciparum malaria in recent times. Despite the level of knowledge and awareness in diagnosing and treating malaria by auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs) and accredited social health activists (ASHAs) with the use of RDT and ACT, malaria was still not treated on time due to unavailability of drugs ( 26 , 32 , 38 , 46 ).…”

“…Eight studies have reported the gap between the gender (male and female) and health-seeking behaviours in SA, where patriarchal norms, beliefs and perceptions still exist ( 26 , 29 , 32 , 40 , 44 , 46 , 50 , 51 ). It was reported that female participants were generally less knowledgeable as compared to male participants about the cause and transmission of malaria ( 33 , 45 ).…”

“…Seven studies reported that socio-economic factors led to an increase in malaria cases in several parts of SA ( 26 , 27 , 29 , 40 , 48 , 50 , 54 ). Therefore, there has been a clear emphasis that the government should focus on socio-economic factors in order to decrease the adverse effects of socio-economic factor attributes, including climate change, in vulnerability to malaria in this region.…”