TY  - BOOK
AU  - Alphonce Violeth
AU  - Deborah Dewey
AU  - Elias Nyanza
TI  - Understanding Contextual Scope of the Mass Media Key Informants' Coverage on Issues Related to Maternal, Newborn and Child Health in Tanzania: A Case of Selected Media in Lake Zone
PY  - 2018///
CY  - Mwanza, Tanzania:  
PB  - Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences [CUHAS - Bugando]
KW  - Public Health
N2  - Abstract:

Background: The mass media have a role to play in public health promotion. It can provide information to mobilize both the government and the governed towards achieving a health nation. Health authorities and medical experts educate and entrust the mass media key informants with essential health information, which is then relayed to the public in readily accessible formats through a variety of media outlets. However, in Tanzania, little is known about the scope to which the mass media are working to promote maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH). Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the MNCH issues that are most frequently covered and viewed as important issues of public interest by mass media key informants. 

Methods: This qualitative study was conducted between August-October 2017 and involved 24 media outlets in the Lake Zone. Cluster sampling was used to select the media outlets. Systematic sampling was conducted to identify mass media outlets from each cluster. Purposive sampling was then used to select study participants. In-depth interview were conducted to capture information on mass media key informants coverage on issues related to MNCH in Tanzania. Thematic content analysis was employed to categorize themes. Narration and descriptive statistics such as percentages were used to present the results.

Results: Breastfeeding, nutrition, antenatal care visits, postnatal care, pneumonia disease, diarrheal disease, pregnancy complications, facility deliveries, vaccination and immunization, HIV/AIDS, preventing mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT), and malaria were identified as important topics and the most covered MNHC issues. Among these issues, breast feeding and antenatal care visits took precedence over facility deliveries and malaria. Mass media campaigns and panel discussions with experts were mentioned as popular ways of disseminating MNCH related information.

Conclusion: The mass media key informants’ covered and consider MNCH issues as issues of public interest. The coverage of MNCH issues was mainly influenced by the agenda of sponsors, and the increasing maternal and child morbidity and mortality rates. The results of this study strongly support the collaboration of government, medical professionals and media practitioners in promoting MNCH through use of mass media.


ER  -