UTILIZATION OF MASS MEDIA FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF PATIENTS’ RIGHTS IN MT. ELGON SUB-COUNTY, BUNGOMA COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

This study sought to investigate the utilization of mass media messages for the implementation of patients’ rights among the public of the Mt. Elgon sub-county, Bungoma County. In health, media has been used to popularize new diseases and medical services offered. However, there is little information on its contribution in patients’ rights communication. Globally patients’ harm contributes to over 2.6 million deaths annually among low and middle-income countries. Patients’ rights violation cases have continued to be reported in Kenya despite the policies contained in the new Kenyan constitution promulgated in 2010 and the Kenya National Patients’ Rights Charter 2013. This is attributed to low health literacy levels on patients’ rights among the public. This questions mass media’s role of informing, educating and monitoring implementation of such policies in society. The study objectives were to: examine the nature of media messages disseminated on patients’ rights among residents of Mt.Elgon sub-county; determine the perception of public towards mass media messaging on patients’ rights among residents of Mt.Elgon sub-county; establish the challenges faced in the dissemination of mass media messages on patients’ rights among residents of Mt.Elgon sub-county and determine suitable mass media messaging for effective implementation of patients’ rights among residents of Mt.Elgon sub-county. The study was guided by the tenets of the agenda setting theory and the diffusion of innovations theory of the mass media. Exploratory sequential research design of the mixed methods research approach was applied. The study was conducted in Chemoge and Kaptama sub-locations of Mt. Elgon Sub-County and the population studied included: adult residents of the identified sub-locations, media practitioners and health policymakers. From a total population of 13204 adult residents, using Mungenda and Mugenda (2003), 10% was selected for the study totaling 130 persons. Further, 72 members of the population were purposively selected for focus group discussions. In addition, 8 key informants including 2 health policy experts and 6 health journalists drawn from leading national media houses in Kenya were interviewed. Data was collected through tools a questionnaire, interview guides (one for health policy experts and another for health journalists), and a focus group discussion schedule. Content validity was analyzed and reliability calculated Cronbach Alpha coefficient, .84 was obtained. Trustworthiness of qualitative methods and data was observed. The qualitative data collected was analyzed thematically while descriptive statistics were generated from quantitative data with the aid of SPSS. The findings revealed that over 68% of the respondents had not been reached with mass media on patients' rights. Further, audio-visual messages were commonly used in addressing patients' rights rated at 54%. The few messages disseminated have been centered on sporadic happening through news programs and this has contributed to the pessimistic perception registered by focus group discussants. Further, the few messages on patients' rights had not been implemented because they fail to meet the suitability criteria suggested. The study recommends that health journalists should adopt in-depth coverage of patients’ rights to increase awareness and practice investigative journalism in monitoring the implementation of these rights across health facilities.