Pattern of health awareness by a health care provider in Maldives : a descriptive study

Abstract

Health awareness is considered to be one of the most essential ingredients of life. In Maldives, Mass media has been utilized to create health awareness among the people. Formally in Maldives, radio represents a popular form of communication and was the most extensively utilized form of mass media used to create health awareness among public. However, with advancement in technologies other forms of media social media platforms have been started using to create health awareness in the recent few years. The main objective of the study was to identify the pattern of health awareness created by selected health care provider (HCP), a single medical doctor who has been creating health awareness during the past 14 years period starting from 2010 till end of 2023. A retrospective descriptive cross-sectional study conducted using pre-collected data, by preparing a check list through note sheets of selected health care provider (HCP). The population for the current study is tasks or events performed by selected HCP with intention to create health awareness. Henceforth, total 359 events or tasks were included in this study as study subjects which were performed by the selected HCP in the past 14 years period starting from 2010 till end of 2023, which is also considered as sample size of the study. Majority of the awareness activity occurred in the year 2020, while majority occur specifically in the month of March. Radio was major source of awareness created, Voice Of Maldives (VOM) was main station where most of the awareness events took place and radio discussion was main method of awareness used by the selected HCP. Major topics covered in health awareness include tobacco, non-communicable disease, communicable disease, nutrition, Ramadan and health. Radio was major source of health awareness created by selected health care provider.