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Effect of Local Radio Call-In Health Programmes on Health Information-Seeking among Rural Residents in Nigeria

Abstract

Health information-seeking is an important component of disease prevention, informed healthcare decision-making, early recognition of health problems, and appropriate utilization of health services. Rural residents in Nigeria may experience difficulties obtaining reliable health information because of limited access to healthcare professionals, inadequate health information infrastructure, geographical barriers, low health literacy, language differences, and dependence on informal sources of information. Local radio remains an accessible communication medium in many rural communities and can provide health information through programmes that allow listeners to call in, ask questions, receive clarification, and interact directly with health professionals or trained programme presenters. Local radio call-in health programmes may therefore provide an opportunity to improve access to credible health information and encourage individuals to actively seek information about disease prevention, symptoms, treatment, screening, and available healthcare services. Against this background, this study investigates the effect of local radio call-in health programmes on health information-seeking among rural residents in Nigeria. The study will be anchored on the Health Belief Model, Uses and Gratifications Theory, and the Health Literacy Framework. The Health Belief Model explains how perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, and cues to action may influence individuals' motivation to seek health information and take preventive action. Uses and Gratifications Theory explains how individuals actively select and use communication media to satisfy information, educational, social, and practical needs. The Health Literacy Framework emphasizes the ability to access, understand, evaluate, and apply health information obtained through various communication channels. Collectively, these theoretical perspectives provide a suitable framework for explaining how local radio call-in health programmes may influence health information-seeking among rural residents in Nigeria. The study will adopt a quantitative quasi-experimental or analytical cross-sectional research design. The study population will comprise adults aged 18 years and above residing in selected rural communities across Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique will be used to select geopolitical zones, states, local government areas, rural communities, households, and eligible participants. Local radio call-in health programmes will be assessed using indicators such as frequency of programmes, duration, programme accessibility, health topics covered, involvement of qualified health professionals, use of local languages, frequency of listener participation, availability of call-in opportunities, opportunities for questions and clarification, quality and accuracy of health information, programme scheduling, and listener engagement. Health information-seeking will be assessed using indicators such as frequency of seeking health information, number of health-information sources consulted, use of healthcare professionals as information sources, seeking information about symptoms and disease prevention, enquiries about available healthcare services, verification of health information, use of radio programmes to obtain health information, and subsequent information-seeking from healthcare facilities. Data will be collected using structured questionnaires, interviewer-administered health information-seeking assessment tools, radio programme participation records where available, call logs, programme schedules, listener feedback records, and relevant community health communication documents. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize participants' characteristics, radio exposure, preferred health-information sources, and health information-seeking patterns. Inferential statistical techniques, including chi-square tests, t-tests, correlation analysis, and logistic or multiple regression analysis where appropriate, will be used to determine the effect of local radio call-in health programmes on health information-seeking. Where a quasi-experimental design is adopted, health information-seeking levels before and after exposure to the radio programme may be compared with those of a comparison community or group to determine changes associated with the intervention. Diagnostic tests will also be conducted to assess the reliability, validity, and robustness of the findings. The study is expected to find that local radio call-in health programmes have a significant positive effect on health information-seeking among rural residents in Nigeria. Residents who regularly listen to and participate in call-in health programmes are expected to demonstrate greater engagement in seeking reliable health information than residents without comparable exposure. The interactive nature of call-in programmes may enable listeners to ask questions about symptoms, disease prevention, treatment options, screening services, and available healthcare facilities and receive immediate clarification. The use of local languages may reduce communication barriers and make health information more understandable and culturally relevant. Radio programmes may also reach residents who have limited access to smartphones, internet services, or healthcare professionals. However, poor radio signal, limited programme availability, misinformation, inadequate participation of qualified health professionals, language diversity, low listener engagement, and difficulty following up on information obtained through radio may reduce effectiveness. The study therefore expects regular, credible, interactive, professionally supported, and locally accessible radio health programmes to contribute significantly to improved health information-seeking among rural residents in Nigeria. The study is expected to contribute to the literature on radio health communication, health information-seeking, community health education, rural health communication, health literacy, mass media health promotion, and public health in Nigeria. The findings will provide useful information to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, state ministries of health, local government health authorities, radio stations, healthcare professionals, community health workers, health educators, development partners, and policymakers regarding the use of local radio as a health communication platform. The study will also provide evidence-based recommendations for strengthening interactive radio health programmes, involving qualified healthcare professionals, using local languages, improving programme scheduling, encouraging listener participation, verifying health information before broadcast, providing referral information, and integrating radio-based health communication with community and primary healthcare services across rural Nigeria.

Keywords: Local radio, call-in health programmes, health information-seeking, rural residents, health communication, health literacy, mass media, community health education, health promotion, Nigeria, public health.