The Role of Mass Media on Malaria Care-Seeking Behavior: Insights from the Nigeria Malaria Indicator Survey 2021

Abstract

Abstract Background Malaria remains a global health crisis, and ending this crisis demands support and action of all people around the world. Sub-Saharan Africa bears the heaviest brunt, with children under five being the most affected. Mass media campaigns play a pivotal role in increasing awareness, promoting malaria care-seeking behavior, and advancing prevention efforts. Methods Secondary data analysis of the 2021 Nigeria Malaria Indicator Survey (NMIS) scrutinized malaria care-seeking behavior among women aged 15–49 who had children with a fever in the previous two weeks. Employing a two-stage sampling strategy, data were collected from 568 clusters spanning both urban and rural areas. Descriptive statistics, bivariate, and logistic regression tests were utilized to assess the role of mass media on malaria care-seeking behavior. Results The majority of participants resided in rural areas (74.5%), were aged 25–29 (29.2%), lacked formal education (47.5%), and adhered to the Islamic faith (63.9%). Many households lacked basic media tools, with 62% lacking radios, 66.7% lacking TVs, and 86.4% not having access to newspapers or magazines. Only 57.9% of participants reported not having seen or heard any malaria-related messages. 38.5% did not seek malaria treatment when their children had a fever, and 68.1% delayed seeking care for two or more days. Respondents who used the internet before the last 12 months were 1.7 times more likely to seek malaria care (AOR = 1.717, 95%CI:1.020–2.889). Conclusion This study delves into the intricate interplay between mass media exposure, and malaria care-seeking behaviors in Nigeria. The stark limitations in access to mass media hinder access to malaria information and malaria care-seeking behaviors. These findings indicate a gap in the roles of mass media on malaria care seeking. To better understand the factors limiting the availability of information on malaria through the media, more research is required.