09-04-2014, 02:54 PM
IDENTIFYING EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION CHANNELS IN A RURAL COMMUNITY: A FIELD REPORT FROM SOUTH INDIA
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Summary
Background: There is scarcity of information on communication channels in rural areas where about 38% of people are
illiterate.
Objective: To identify the channels of communication available in rural areas by interviewing key informants.
Method: This study was conducted in 51 villages of Ellapuram block, Tiruvallur district, Tamil Nadu in the year 2004.
Key informants selected from the villages were interviewed by a Medical Social Worker. The questionnaire included
information on modes of communication channels, availability of markets, public facilities, and local associations.
Result: The study block included 9893 households covering a population of 39255. Their main occupation was
agriculture (86%). Electricity was available in all the villages. More than 80% of the villagers had community TV/cable
connections, >50% of the villages had cinema star fan associations, mahila mandals, youth clubs, self-help groups,
anganwadi centres and ration shops. The main source of communication as per interview was television (100%), wall-
posters (55%); publicity through panchayat office meetings (53%) and dandora or beat of drums(43%).
INTRODUCTION
TB control programme is a felt-need oriented
programme as more than 80% people with chest
symptoms have been reported to seek relief of
symptoms on their own1. Poor awareness on all
aspects of TB, including symptoms suggestive of
TB, availability of free diagnosis and treatment
facilities in the community might adversely affect
the programme performance. Earlier studies have
shown that TB awareness was not up to the
expectations due to poor literacy rate or lack of
availability of effective communication channels
resulting in improper health seeking behaviour and
treatment compliance2-5. In a study conducted in
our centre, it was observed that 29% of patients had
delayed seeking care for more than one month and
40% of them attributed the delay to their lack of
awareness about TB 6.
RESULTS
The study block included 51 villages, 9,893
households and 39,255 population. Electricity was
available in all the villages. Main occupation was
agriculture in (86%) of villages and the remaining
included weaving, self employment, etc.
Table 1 describes the education facilities
available in this block. In about one fourth 13 (25%)
villages, no educational facilities were available.
While half of the villagers 26 under study had primary
schools
CONCLUSIONS
This study highlights the existence of
multiple communication channels, including TV
facility in the rural villages of Tamil Nadu. The
most important channels that are being
commonly used to get day to day information
are mass media /television, wall posters,
meetings at panchayat office and through
dandora (beat of drums). These channels can be
utilised for spreading any health messages
effectively. In addition, most of the villages have
local associations and place of worship where the
community meets and share information. Policy
makers and programme managers should tap
all these resources to educate the community,
especially the rural community.