There are gaps in diabetes health communication- Study

Abstract

This paper presents results from a study which investigated the impact of messages on diabetes coming from both the print and electronic media. The study used men and women in their various age groups to gauge their understanding of the messages relayed related to diabetes. Simple sampling method was used to get the respondents totalling to 50 representing a population of 10,000 people in the Malawi border districts of Karonga, Mchinji and Malawi’s cities of Mzuzu, Lilongwe and Blantyre. The study explored the influence of Health Communication and how it impacts in discussions. The study argues that unless the focus of stories by the mass media change and countries make a deliberate effort to communicate diabetes properly, the disease  it will continue to kill thousands of people who suffer without knowing they are  suffering from this disease. It is expected that this study will be useful in many countries of the world, particularly in Sub Saharan Africa.