Abstract 

This study focused on rural women (most especially pregnant mothers) because they aremostly prone to malaria partly because of the low level of awareness and sensitization on thedisease at the grass root level by healthcare providers, government and the media.  Malaria isa global disease and over 40% of the world’s population live where there is risk of malaria.The disease is however widespread in sub Saharan Africa and causes pre-mature death andsuffering, imposes financial hardship on poor households and holds back economic growthand   improvements   in   living   standards.   This   study   adopted   the   survey   method,   usingquestionnaire as instrument of data collection. Rural women of Ezeagu local governmentarea made up the population of this study. The simple random sampling technique was usedto select respondents for this research. The purposive sampling method was used to selectEnugu west among the three senatorial zones in Enugu state which include; Enugu east,Enugu west and Enugu north. Data were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The study was anchored on the health belief model. Findings from the study revealed that radio iseffective in creating awareness on malaria among rural women in Ezeagu local governmentarea. The respondents were found to listen frequently to malaria/roll back malaria adverts onradio and subsequently take proactive steps to guard themselves against the disease. Findings also showed that respondents identified some shortcomings of radio such as language barrierand   less   airtime   for   malaria   programmes   in   creating   awareness   on   malaria.   The   studyrecommended that radio programmes on malaria should be designed and produced in thelanguage of the rural dwellers in other  to achieve  the desired  results. A  situation whereEnglish language or other such foreign language will be used to disseminate information onmalaria to rural women who are mostly farmers and traders should be discouraged if thescourge   of   malaria   will   be   eliminated   from   the   society.   Also,   more   roll   back   malariacampaigns, lectures and seminars should be organized for the rural women by distributinglong lasting insecticide nets and drugs with a view of combating the disease

TABLE OF CONTENT

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

 1.1 Background to the study - - - - - - - 1

1.2 Statement of the problem  - - - - - - - 5

1.3 Objectives of the study - - - - - - - 6

1.4 Research questions  - - - - - - - 7

1.5 Scope of study - - - - - - - - 7

1.6 Significance of the study - - - - - - - 7#

1.7 Definition of terms  - - - - - - - 8

References  - - - - - - - - - 10

CHAPTER TWO:  LITERATURE REVIEW 

2.1     Focus of the review - - - - - - - - 11

2.2     Effectiveness of the use of radio in health awareness - - - 11

2.3      Roll back malaria campaign (RBM) - - - - - 15

2.4      The mass media and mass mobilization - - - - - 17

2.5      Theoretical review - - - - - - - - 19

References - - - - - - - - - 21

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY

3.1 Research design  - - - - - - - - 23

3.2 Population of study - - - - - - -  - 23

3.3 Sample size  - - - - - - - - - 23

3.4 Sampling   technique - - - - - - - 24

3.5 Instruments of data collection  - - - - - - 24

3.6 Methods of data analysis  - - - - - - - 25

3.7 Validity/reliability of research instrument  - - - - 25

References  - - - - - - - - 26

CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS

4.1 Description of samples - - - - - - - 27

4.2 Data presentation and analysis - - - - - - 30

4.3 Discussion of findings  - - - - - - - 39

References - - - - - - - - - 43

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 Summary  - - - - - - - - - 44

5.2 Conclusion  - - - - - - - - - 45

5.3 Recommendations - - - - - - - - 46

5.4 Limitations of study  - - - - - - - 47

Bibliography 

Appendices 

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Response rate of number of distributed, returned and lost questionnaires 27Table 2: Age Distribution of respondents - - - - - - 28Table 3: Marital Status of respondents- - - - - - -      28Table 4: Religion of respondents - - - - - - - 29Table 5: Educational qualification of respondents - -      - - 29Table 6: Occupation of respondents - -      - - - - - 29Table 7: Respondents response on how often they listen to radio - -      - 30Table 8: Response on if they have listened to any malaria/roll back malaria advert 31Table 9: response on the type of roll back malaria advert they have listened to- - 31Table 10: Response on if they think radio is effective in promoting awareness among ruralwomen -       - - - - - - - - - - 32Table 11: Respondents response on how effective radio is in creating awareness- 32Table 12: Response on the shortcomings of radio in creating awareness on malaria 33Table 13:  Response on  the  type   of shortcomings   radio  has  in  creating   awareness  onmalaria- - - - - - - - - - - - 34Table 14 Response on if roll back malaria campaigns are adequate in controlling malaria - - - - - - - - 35Table 15: Respondents response on how adequate roll back malaria campaigns are in controlling malaria - - - - - 35Table 16: Response on if respondents have a treated mosquito net-      - - 36Table 17: Respondents response if they sleep under treated mosquito net - - 36Table 18: Response on their thoughts about using radio to properly combat malaria - - - - - - - 37Table 19 : Response on how best respondents think malaria could be better tackled amongrural women. - - - - - - - - - 37Table 20: Response on how malaria can better be tackled among rural women in Enugu state- - - - - - - 38viii

vi.