THE INFLUENCE OF COVID 19 MEDIA CAMPAIGNS

 ABSTRACT

The 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) presented a greater challenge to developing countries with limited access to public health measures in grassroot communities. It was a virulent virus which took not so much time transmitting from an epidemic into a pandemic. Obviously, curbing such virus will require deliberate approach and practical means to sensitize the people on necessary actions against the people on how to avoid contacting the virus. To this end, this study "The Influence of Covid-19 Media Campaigns on the Health Behaviour of Ekehuan Campus Students" was designed to analyse  COVID-19 media campaigns and its influence on the health behaviour of residents of Ekehuan Campus. Research questions were raised to find out the role of media campaigns in influencing the health behaviour of residents. To achieve its goal, the study adopted the survey method of research, which entailed the use of the questionnaire instrument to collect data from the population of the study. A sample size of 355 was used for the study and of the 355 questionnaire, distributed, the entire 355 were correctly responded to and returned. Data obtained were analysed, presented with the aid of frequency tables and simple percentages. The study also revealed that the media is a powerful tool in influencing the behaviour of people as it was able to positively influence the health behaviour of Ekehuan campus residents. The study further revealed that, of all the media, social media was the most accessible to students and therefore was more effective in influencing their health behaviour. The major problem of the new media (social media) was discovered to be easy peddling of fake news and its greatest distribution 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 by 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.