Demography as a Determinant of Awareness, Knowledge and Attitude of Asaba Youth to Media Advocacy Campaign on Sickle Cell Disorder

Abstract

In a localized attempt to address the inevitable status of Nigeria as the biggest host of patients of sickle cell anaemia, the Delta state government sponsored a media centered initiative to attract public attention to sickle cell disease as well as to the victims of the disorder. This study examined the influence of the media advocacy campaign on youth’s awareness, knowledge and attitude to the disease using the questionnaire survey method involving 300 participants randomly selected from the capital city, Asaba. The results showed that demographic variables such as age, gender, income and religious affiliations had varying influence on awareness, knowledge and attitude of respondents. Although respondents exhibited modest awareness and knowledge of the disorder, it emerged that they arrived at this level of knowledge through information acquired from sources other than the state sponsored media campaign on sickle cell. The study concluded that the media advocacy campaign on sickle cell disorder was yet to resonate with the target population.