Media Campaigns, BCA, and BSE Practice in Rural Women in Adamawa

The research evaluates the effectiveness of media campaigns in raising awareness and promoting breast self-examination (BSE) among rural women in Adamawa State. In collaboration with NGOs, the government has launched extensive campaigns to educate and encourage women to adopt BSE as a preventive measure, aiming for early detection and better outcomes.Grounded in Irwin's Health Belief Model and Stotland's Attitude Change Theory, this study analyzes the psychological and behavioral factors influencing rural women's engagement with breast cancer awareness and BSE. Using a descriptive survey research method with a sample of 510 respondents from Demsa, Girei, and Numan LGAs, the study provides a comprehensive analysis of awareness and practices.Findings reveal high awareness (95.7%) and knowledge (94.2%) about breast cancer and BSE, but only 19.7% of respondents regularly practice BSE. This gap highlights the need for targeted strategies to convert knowledge into regular health practices. The study concludes that while media campaigns successfully raise awareness, they alone may not induce behavioral change.

Autorentext

Bartholomew Terfa Dansoho earned a BSc degree with 2.1 in Mass Communication from Benue State University, Makurdi, Nigeria, in 2008. He continued his studies at the same university, obtaining a MSc degree in Mass Communication in 2017. Currently, he is pursuing a PhD in Mass Communication at Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria.