Can Electronic Media Play Role in Polio Eradication in Pakistan? -secondary analysis of Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey 2012-2013

Authors

  • Muhammad Zubair Tahir Public Health Consultant FANA GLOBAL CONSULTANCY AND BUSINESS LIMITED

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.48036/apims.v14i2.85

Keywords:

Poliomyelitis, lectronic Media, Vaccination

Abstract

Objectives: Main objective was to find role of electronic media on received polio vaccine doses (1,2,3,0) in households in all regions of the country. The intention was to compare polio vaccination in households who had exposure to electronic media, TV and radio, with households who had no exposure to electronic media.
Materials and Methods: Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS) 2012-13, third country wide survey, data was used for the study. In the survey 14,000 households were selected (6,944 in urban areas and 7,056 in rural areas) and there were 12,943 occupied households. From these occupied households, 13,558 ever-married women and 3,134 ever married men age 15–49 were interviewed.  SPSS Multinomial Logistic Regression analyses was used to see statistical significance and to investigate the association between electronic media (radio and TV) and polio vaccine doses (1,2,3,0). A p-value of <0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.
Results: Television was more effective than radio in polio vaccination. Children from households who had TV and radio received more polio vaccine doses (1,2,3,0) than children from households who had no TV and radio. Households who had television, had significantly higher polio vaccinated children, vaccination dates on cards and vaccination reported by mothers than those households who had no TV.
Rural areas of the country, without radio and TV in households, have more polio unvaccinated children than urban areas. In Balochistan rural areas, households without radio had 37.7% to 76.3% and households without TV had 37.3% to 80.5% polio unvaccinated (1,2,3,0) children which is the highest deprived percentage in the country.
Radio and TV were statistically significant and had association with polio vaccine doses (0,1,2,3).
Conclusion:Electronic media, TV and radio, has an important role in polio vaccination and can play vital role in polio eradication in Pakistan. Proper designing and delivery of powerful media messages at proper time can create awareness about polio, change behaviour and attitude for polio vaccination.

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Published

2018-06-11

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Section

Original Articles