Media Awareness and Utilization of Antenatal Care Services by Pregnant Women in Kano State- Nigeria

Abstract

This study explores pregnant women’s major sources of information on Antenatal Care services (ANC), their media preferences of ANC programmes, their appropriate timing as well as the challenges they face in use of the media in Kano state. The study was informed by the inadequacy of health information from the media, which results to the under-utilization of ANC services by pregnant women. This has serious negative implications on maternal health and mortality. Focus group discussion was the main methodology used in the study and was complimented with In-depth interviewing and document analysis. Findings reveal that the dominant theme was the use of Radio as the major source of information on ANC services as well as other sources like health workers and social gatherings among others. In addition, the pregnant women demonstrated good knowledge and awareness of ANC services but some of them do not attend ANC even though they are aware while others are not even aware at all, of the importance of utilizing ANC services. The data further shows that the pregnant women preferred media programmes in which a health expert discusses ANC and maternal health issues. Similarly, their preferred timing for the ANC programmes is 4.00 pm and they shared substantial challenges which tend to inhibit their media usage, which influences ANC utilization. The study recommends that media ANC programmes should target men as partners in progress in all matters related to maternal health. Also, the government and other wealthy individuals should establish more community radios with priority to ANC and health related programs.