Perceptions of Covid-19 Victims Towards The Government Communication Channels: A Case of Kenya Society for The Blind
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Date
2024-10
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Daystar University, School of Communication
Abstract
The COVID1-19 impact was particularly noticeable among those with disabilities, especially among visually impaired persons. At the height of the pandemic, timely, reliable and an all-inclusive communication was important for this vulnerable group. Unfortunately, because they are unable to see the posters and memes, people with visual impairments were majorly cut off from information. Also, a lot of individuals with visual impairments lacked access to assistive technologies like Braille readers and paper at home, which impacted their accessibility to current information. It is in this vein that the current study assessed the perception of COVID-19 victims towards the government communication channels: a case of Kenya Society for the Blind. The specific objectives included to assess the perception of COVID-19 victims at the KSB on government communication channels; to find out the channels of communication used by government during COVID-19 pandemic; and to determine the perception of COVID-19 victims at the KSB on the channels used by government to communicate to them. The study used group think theory and social comparison theory. Regarding research methodology, the study used a descriptive research design while the target population was 50 members (06 leaders and 44 regular members) of KSB who also formed the sample size. The study also chose to employ purposive sampling technique while a focus group discussion and interview guide (primary data) were used as the data collection tools. The methods for data analysis included thematic analysis. It was found that the perception by visually impaired persons about government communication channels was not impressive due to the fact that most of the messaging failed to take care of their interests. It was found that the government used SMS, TV, Radios, Prints, social media, and public address as channels for communication. The study found that indeed there was a strong relationship between the perception of Covid-19 victims and government communication channels. The study conclude that perception by visually impaired persons about government communication channels was unimpressive because of inability to obtain essential information due to absence of braille materials or audio descriptions. Regarding communication channels, the study concludes that government employed mobile SMS, TV, Radios, Prints, social media, and public address system as communication channels. On the relationship between perception of Covid-19 victims on channels used by government to communicate to citizens, the study concludes that there existed a significant relationship among respondents’ perception and the government's channels of communication during Covid-19. Regarding recommendations, the study recommends that to guarantee that everyone, including people with visual impairments, have access to updates, the government ought to make information available in a variety of accessible formats, such as audio, Braille, and big print. On communication channels, the study recommends that the government should make sure that all significant updates and announcements are accessible in high-quality audio forms, like podcasts and specialized radio shows. On the relationship between the perception of COVID-19 victims and the channels used by government, the study recommends that the government should modify its messaging to take into account the special requirements and experiences of COVID-19 victims in the community of visually impaired.
Description
Master of Arts in Communication
Keywords
COVID1-19 impact
Citation
Kamau, M. (2024). Perceptions of Covid-19 Victims Towards The Government Communication Channels: A Case of Kenya Society for The Blind. Daystar University, School of Communication