Barriers to Communicating Nutrition and Health Information in Wekhomo Location, Vihiga District (kenya)

Abstract

Acquisition of vital nutrition and health information is an important component in the promotion of a healthy and well-informed populace in as far as nutritional needs are concerned. The objectives were to: establish the barriers in communicating nutrition an health information and ascertain the main limitations communication indisseminating nutrition of the existing channels and health information of in Wekhomo Location. The study was guided by Riley's (1965) communication importance of a sociological view in communication model, which pinpoints the while emphasizing and integrated social structure and communication process. The study relied on 170 local residents and 10 key informants in Wekhomo Location, Vihiga District in Kenya. The instruments of data collection were both open and closed-ended structured questionnaires administered randomly to the sampled members of the local community and key informants. The findings of this study indicated that the factors that constrained access to nutrition and health information were cultural beliefs, educational background, economic levels as well as social background. It is thus recommended possible training of the local residents on nutritional that regular education and if matters should be envisaged. Further research should also be done to ensure that the conventional communication channels reach majority of the people in Wekhomo Location.