OUTLINE:
- INTRODUCTION
- REVIEW OF NUTRITIONAL DISORDERS
- THE
ROLE OF INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION USING ACADA MODEL
- CONCLUSION
- REFERENCES
INTRODUCTION:
Communication can be regarded as a two-way process of
exchanging of shaping ideas, feelings and information. Broadly it refers “to
the countless ways that humans have of keeping in touch with one another”.
Health communication is the adoption of communication
strategies to enlighten the public on health related matters and influence
individual, government or community decisions that positively impact on health.
It is relevant in disease prevention
and health promotion in many ways e.g Health professional-patient relations,
individual’s exposure to or search for or use of health information,
individual’s compliance to recommended clinical regiments, the construction of
public health messages and campaigns, dissemination of individual and
population health risk information, image of health in the mass media and
culture at large, education of consumers about how to gain access to the public
health and health care system.
Whether talking to individual patients
or groups of people, health workers must strive to be effective communicators.
They must learn how to explain technical information in simple language that is
easily understood.
Health communication in the process
caters for the following, needs; information, education, motivation, persuasion,
counseling, raising morals, Health development, and organization.
Review of Nutritional Disorders
Nutrition disorders are a serious
problem everywhere especially in tropical developing countries.
Malnutrition is an important public health problem
that is caused by a deficient or excess intake of nutrients in relation to
requirements. Under nutrition (Nutritional deficiency) is the prevalent type of
malnutrition in tropical developing countries. At most risk are the poor and
disadvantaged, particularly women of reproductive age and young children.
Under nutrition reduces immunity, physical activity
and work productivity, and in children, retards growth and psychological
development.
Obesity (nutrient, excess) and its
comorbidities are less widespread in developing countries but the rates are
increasing.
Poor diets and diseases are the
immediate causes of malnutrition. Underlying causes are food insecurity, in
adequate care of women and children, unhealthy living conditions and poor
health services. In turn, these result from lack of resources, the low status
of women, environmental degradation and, sometimes abnormal weather or conflict
and violence.
Secondary school students fall into
the adolescent group, who are between 10-19 years, and is the second decade of
life. During this phase of life, significant physical, physiological,
psychological and emotional changes occur, which have bearing on the
individual, community and the nation.
Healthy adolescence is a goal. Adolescents gain 50% of
their Adult weight and more than 20% of their adult height between 10-19 years,
which we call as growth spurt. For healthy growth and development of
adolescents, adequate diet is essential, and here proper communication is not
only important but essential, not just to the students but to the managers of
the school (the management Board, principal and teachers, and the Non-tutorial
staff of the institution), as well as the parents.
Low height and weight, exophthalmia
(dry eye) refers to all the ocular manifestation of Vit A deficiency,
Nutritional anemia, and the emerging obesity, can all occur.
Observation has shown that the majority of EBSU secondary
school students who slumped in school and were rushed to the Medical Centre, had
not eaten before coming to school. Some of the reasons being poverty (with the
consequent inability to afford 3 square meals a day by parents), lack of
parents living up to expectations (like when the mother rushes out early
morning without preparing meals for the children), some especially girls say
they do not want to be fat but to have figure 8 and therefore skip some meals,
especially breakfasts, and some religious zealots who fast to the detriment of
their bodies etc. For those looking for “shape” and ending up starving, they
could end up with unacceptable “figure I” (instead of “figure 8”), peptic ulcer
disease, anemia, immune deficiency and the associated risks of infection,
various developmental anomalies that may become the sequel in future.
Justification for Choosing Interpersonal
Communication.
Interpersonal communication is a warm open and
intimate interaction between two or more people. The people involved may just
be as small as two or small (micro
group), or it could be large group (macro group) of people. As interpersonal
communication is personal and direct, it is more persuasive and effective than
any other form of communication. It is important in influencing the decisions of
those who are undecided.
Justification for Choosing “ACADA”
Model.
Development and behaviour change
(our objective in the Nutritional disorder amongst Ebonyi State University
Staff Secondary School) are achievable when the right communication process are
applied.
ACADA
which stands for - Assessment, Communication Analysis, Design and Action- is a
tried and trusted communication planning and implementation model designed by
UNICEF.
It throws into relief the vital steps/procedures that
must be followed in order to achieve set goals/targets in a clearer, scientific
manner.
Assessment
This
is also referred to as situation analysis.
Information on Nutritional disorder
in EBSU secondary school can be gathered through survey in the University Community
from the students of the secondary school, the tutorial and non- tutorial
staff, the University Medical Centre and the University at large, and the
parents of the students. The survey will be carried out using interpersonal
channel of communication to gather baseline information on the prevailing
nutritional problems, knowledge, attitude and practice in the community. There
are indications that more than 50% of those students who slumped and were
rushed to EBSU Medical Centre, or who presented at the clinic for various
complaints, have not taken morning breakfast, or when taken, it is usually
inadequate. Having gathered the required information, objectives will be set
and evaluation of indicators.
Communication Analysis
Interpersonal communication and Mass Media will be the
best communication method to use in sending positive messages to these
students. Here in particular, the EBSU secondary school magazine “The Erudite”,
will be very useful. As said earlier, interpersonal communication will entail a
warm and intimate interaction between 2 or more people. In this circumstance,
the population will be fairly large. During the discussion, every individual
freely shares intimation on the Nutritional problems and in the process one
another’s feeling and situations, etc, are shared.
Mass communication will also be very useful.
Information would be disseminated using- The erudite magazine mentioned
earlier, radio, health talks, hand Bills, posters, etc. A play will also be
organized to convey some important messages on Nutritional disorders.
Design
Bearing in mind that in designing, emphasis should be
on the effectiveness of message format and content so that what is said is what
is meant and what is meant is what is understood and what is understood is what
is done and what is done is the desired action (Agba and Okoro 1995), the
communication means will be well designed to be attractive to the students. The
teachers they love most, especially the female ones to add some emotional touch
as mothers, would be used. A good focal group discussion using 10 persons or
less, in a conducive environment will be carried out. The questionnaire, which
will be part of this design, will bear the following questions;
- Reasons why some students do not eat before coming to
school
- The good effects of not eating before
coming to school, if any.
- The bad effects of not eating before
coming to school, if any
Beautiful banners, hand bills, posters would be
employed with attractive writings like, “Eat to live”, “Starvation and diseases
are husbands and wives”, “Eat well to get figure 8, starve to get figure I”
etc.
A health talk on “benefits and
adverse effects of malnutrition” will be carried out. Balanced diet will be
taught the class;
Action
For
the programme to achieve it’s objectives, it will take 2 days during which
there will be lecture/workshop daily.
The organization will be as follows;
Day 1: 10 am – 11 am- Biometric measurements
(Height, Weight, Arm-Circumference)
11am – 12 noon- Clinical
examination
12noon – 12 30pm-
Introductory lecture on
Nutritional disorders.
12.30–1pm – Refreshment,
then close for the day.
Day
2: 10am – 11am – Focused group
discussion
11am – 11:30noon –
Benefits of eating
appropriately and a balanced diet too.
11:30am – 12.30pm-
refreshment, then dismissal
Personnels to be Involved
- The researcher
- 5 research Assistants -2 resident Doctors
- Nurses
- One counselor (psychologist)
Materials to be Employed
- Stethoscope
- Height and weight
- couch for examination
- Tables, seats,
- Multimedia projector
- Microphones
- Flip charts
- hand bills, Biros
- White board, marker
- Posters, computers
- Banners
- Marker, duster
- Generator
- Fuel
- Plain sheets
Venue:
Ebonyi
State University Staff secondary school Hall – “CAS” Campus.
Conclusion:
Nutritional
disorder exists in our school system and is long overlooked. It is high time
the condition is addressed. If necessary logistics are available and approval
given, the issue would be well addressed using the appropriate communication
channel stated above, employing appropriate supervision and evaluation at every
stage.
REFERENCES
- Short
texture book of public health medicine for the tropics by Adetokunbo O. Lucas
and Herbert .M. Gilles – revised 4th Edition, page 264.
- Park’s
Textbook of preventive and social medicine by K. park. 20th Edition
pages 552,.
- Textbook
of community medicine-preventive and social medicine by sunder LAL, Adarsh, Pankaj-2nd
Edition, pages, 42, page 191.
- Administrative
committee on coordination, subcommittee on Nutrition (200a); Ending malnutrition
by 2020; An Agenda for changes in the millennium ACCSCN, c/o
WHO, Geneva.accsn@who.ch.
- Nutrition
for health and Development WHO/NHD/006.who, Geneva.