An Assessment of Communication Use in Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation Compliance among Pregnant Women in Mukuru Kwa Njenga, Nairobi County+

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Date

2021-10

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Daystar University, School of Communication

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which various communication sources influenced compliance to the full dose of 90+ days of iron and folic acid supplementation among women aged 15to49 years during pregnancy in Mukuru Kwa Njenga informal settlements in Nairobi County. The objectives of the study were to assess the communication sources on IFAS for pregnant women aged between 15and 49, determine the extent of compliance behavior to IFAS of pregnant women aged between 15and 49, and assess the influence of communication sources on compliance to iron and folic acid supplementation during pregnancy. The study used two theories: the Transtheoretical Model and Diffusion of Innovation. Both Diffusion of Innovation and Transtheoretical Model assume that a person goes through multiple stages before successfully changing their behavior. The study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional survey design to assess how communication, had influenced compliance to iron and folic acid supplementation among pregnant women in Mukuru Kwa Njenga. Three hundred and four women of aged 15-49 meeting the inclusion criteria were the minimum sample as determined using the Fischer’s formula. The response rate as calculated from the complete questionnaires was 97.3%. Interpersonal communication (health providers, friends, and relatives) and mass media (radio and television) ranked highly as the sources of general communication frequently used at 96.96%, 92.91% ,80.07% and 71.96% respectively. The results showed that 87.50% of the respondent had received IFAS across the gestational age categories either freely or by buying. The study recommends that print and display media should be given adequate importance. Further studies on frequency and duration of exposure to IFAS messages can be conducted to establish cause effect of the communication channels on adherence

Description

MASTER OF ARTS in Communication

Keywords

Communication Use, Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation Compliance, Pregnant Women, Mukuru Kwa Njenga, Nairobi County

Citation

Were, S. A. C. (2021). An Assessment of Communication Use in Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation Compliance among Pregnant Women in Mukuru Kwa Njenga, Nairobi County. Daystar University, School of Communication, Nairobi.