Abstract:
Mass media is an important tool for educating and disseminating information in the society through both electronic and print media. The reading of magazines has evolved as one of the modern activities which has captured the interest of elite women in Kenya. One of the factors that has contributed to the increase in the readership of magazines is the health content in them. This paper analyses the breast cancer awareness in selected consumer magazines as a factor in enhancing empowerment of women for social economic development. It assesses the effect of the health content in these magazines in empowering the women readers. The selected magazines for the study are, The Parents’, True love and newspaper pull-out magazines published in the month of October between 2005-2011. These magazines were purposively identified and the months of October was preferred because it is a breast cancer awareness months internationally. The objectives of the study are; to analyze what issues on Breast Cancer are discussed in the selected consumer magazines and to investigate whether information on Breast Cancer in these magazines help in demystifying the Breast Cancer by the elite women thereby empowering these women to participate fully in social economic development. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. Purposive sampling, snowballing and stratified random techniques were used to select the sample. The accessible population was 346 participants, of which 30% a sample size of 102 working women in the Education sector, banking institutions, civil society, business women as well as civil servants. The study adopted a mixed method approach. Qualitative data was reached at through in-depth interviewsof purposively sampled 10 key respondents and content analysis approaches were used in the analysis of health content in these magazines. The quantitative data involved filling of 92 questionnaires. This increased the credibility of the study. The quantitative data collected was sorted, classified and analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques by use of SPSS program. Qualitative data was received in verbatim, audio recorded, transcribed and organized in themes and sub-themes. The study has found out that October consumer magazines had different issues on breast cancer discussed in different editions and the information in these magazines has shaped the readers opinion in making decisions pertaining breast cancer. Through these magazines, women are now aware of the disease; they are able to go for early checkups, they are able to breast examine themselves in case of any lumps and so seek for early treatment. These has enabled women to participate in nation building because they are empowered with knowledge on breast health and thus gained self-esteem to make choices. The paper argues that breast cancer awareness plays a major role in women empowerment socially, politically and economically and it is said a healthy nation is a wealthy nation. Women are able to cope with the disease in case they are infected or affected and so able to compete with men in nation building. Sustainable Development Goals vision 2030, goal three states to promote good health and well-being for all at all ages. These is what elite women are geared to in order to empower themselves socially, economically and politically. Good health and well-being brings about healthy mind and so this promotes motivation translating into economic, social and political empowerment