INVESTIGATING THE ROLE OF COMMUNITY RADIO IN COMBATING MISINFORMATION ON PUBLIC HEALTH CRISES AMONG RURAL POPULATIONS IN ANAMBRA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This research paper examines the centrality of community radio in dealing with misinformation in the event of a population-wide health crisis among the rural people in Anambra State, Nigeria. Basing on a mixed-methodology, the study will evaluate the existing use of community radio as a channel to disseminate correct health information, the most common forms of misinformation, how it is effective in creating trust and combating falsehoods, and how it can effectively influence the dissemination of information on the population and health. The data was used on 300 rural residents, 20 radio practitioners and 15 health workers in Anambra East, Anambra West and Awka North Local Government Areas. The results of quantitative analysis are that 72 percent of the residents use community radio as the primary source of health information, and level of trust is 68 percent in comparison with 35 percent in social media. Social media (45%), word-of-mouth (30%), and traditional healers (15%), are the most frequent sources of misinformation, which tend to spread myths about such diseases as COVID-19 and Ebola. The qualitative observations indicate that language barrier and lack of funds are some of the problems but emphasize cultural relevance of radio by means of Igbo-language programming. This paper uses Diffusion of Innovations Theory as a guideline, which focuses on the role of community radio in enhancing the pace of adoption of proper health behaviors. Findings have shown that radio campaigns with focus cut misinformation belief by 25 percent among intervention groups. The suggested model incorporates participative content development, collaboration with health organizations, and online hybridization. The study has an impact on the literature on mass communication by illustrating the potential of community radio in closing the information disparity existing in underserved communities and providing a policy recommendation on how to incorporate it into national health policies, which will subsequently improve the health outcomes and resilience of the rural populations to future shocks.