ASSESSMENT OF THE NEW MEDIA AS TOOL FOR CORONAVIRUS AWARENESS CREATION

ABSTRACT

This study “Assessment of the New Media As Tool For Coronavirus Awareness Creation” was designed to analyse the new media and its role in awareness creation about COVID-19. Research questions were raised to find out the role of the new media in disease awareness creation, determine the effect of new media channel in distributing health messages as well as the problems and the prospects of the new media. Health belief model and diffusion of innovation theory were used for the theoretical framework for further justification and credence. Survey research design was adopted for the study with a 17 item questionnaire used as the instrument of data collection. A sample size of 400 was used for the study and of the 400 questionnaire distributed 369 were correctly responded to and returned. Data collected were analysed, presented in tables, and simple percentages. Findings from the study reveal that the most prominent role played by the new media in health communication is information. The study also revealed that social media is the most efficient channel for distributing health messages. Further, the major problem of the new media was discovered to be lots of fake news and its greatest prospect is faster distribution of messages. The study recommends that the federal government should implement policies that will reduce the price of data bundles offered the different Internet Service Providers (ISP), and every health institution and agency should adopt new media platforms as means of sending health related messages to members of the public especially in period of global health emergency and other health campaigns.