The Influence of Prevention of Mother-To-Child HIV Transmission Campaigns on the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice among Nigerian Women

The transmission of HIV from an infected mother to her child during pregnancy, delivery or breastfeeding is called Mother-to-Child Transmission (MCT). This is one avenue that has fundamentally aided the infection of children with the dreaded HIV disease. This menace of mother-to-child transmission has been very devastating. Many children have been infected which has resulted to their early deaths. According to a progressive report in 2012 by UNAIDS, an estimate of 3.4 million children younger than 15 years were living with HIV globally in 2011, 91% of them in Sub-Saharan Africa (where Nigeria is situated), while an estimated 230 thousand children died from AIDS-related illness in the same year. It was also reported that mother-to-child transmission accounts for more than 90% pediatric AIDS. To effectively combat the MCT malaise, the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) was introduced. This introduction heralded countless number of PMTCT campaigns globally, including Nigeria. Therefore, the critical question that necessitated this study is, what is the influence of the PMTCT campaigns on the knowledge, attitudes and practice among Nigerian women? Using Survey Research Method and Multi-Stage Sampling Technique, women in 6 selected states from the 6 geo-political zones of Nigeria (1 state from each of the zones) were studied. In the end, findings revealed amongst others that though the knowledge level, attitudes and practice of PMTCT among Nigerian women is abysmally low. Based on the findings, it was recommended, amongst others, that organizations, agencies and other bodies involved in packaging PMTCT campaigns should design and disseminate adequate, specific clear and very convincing messages to the women. This will help improve their knowledge on the PMTCT programme which will consequently secure the right attitude in them and herald an improved level of practice. When this is achieved, mother-to-child transmission would have been drastically reduced. Keywords: Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission of HIV •Campaign •Knowledge •Attitude •Practic

The Use of Strategic Silence in Interpersonal Communication

For over a century now, the attention of communication scholars has shifted from strategic communication to strategic silence with an open invitation for experts to investigate the potency of the latter in the line of communication. As an honour to this invitation, this study investigates the use of strategic silence in interpersonal communication among residents of Enugu Metropolis in Enugu State Nigeria. In conducting this survey, explanatory mixed method research design was used to generate both qualitative and quantitative data using questionnaire and interview. After a thorough analysis, both quantitative and qualitative data revealed that residents of Enugu metropolis use strategic silence in interpersonal communication. Finding also revealed that the respondents use strategic silence both negatively and positively to influence others in the line of communication. Based on these findings, it is recommended that users of strategic silence should always deploy it for positive reasons

When Ownership and Geographical Considerations Get To The Front Burner In Media Coverage Of Political Crisis: A Critical Review

One fundamental principle of media business is the fact that media people must always put public interest first in all their dealings. This they are expected to do irrespective of their geographic or ownership leanings. While one recognises the fact that these factors remain contentious in the media circle and sometimes difficult to do away with in media business, the social responsibility principle should always be allowed to govern all media engagements. While some observers argue that this principle rules only in developed world and not in the third world, others argue otherwise. This review looks at whether or not geographical and ownership considerations influence media people in their coverage of political crisis around the world. After a review of some empirical studies, it is concluded that geographical location and ownership play significant role in media coverage of political crisis