Journals Information
Universal Journal of Public Health Vol. 12(6), pp. 1051 - 1058
DOI: 10.13189/ujph.2024.120603
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Towards a Homophilous Communication of Messages on Healthy Eating Habits to the Men in Rural Villages of Botswana
Lovie Edwin Seru *, Malebogo Moji
Department of Communication and Study Skills, University of Botswana, Botswana
ABSTRACT
Spontaneous discussions and interactions with the men in the villages revealed that many of them had developed gouty arthritis. The discussions also revealed that some of them had been advised against eating too much red meat by the local nurses. Despite the advice from the local nurses, red meat remained a popular dish with the men. This prompted the question: why do the men in the villages not embrace the advice to give up unhealthy eating habits? What means of communication are used to communicate messages about healthy eating to the men? To gather information on these questions, a semi-structured and unstructured interview methods were used. The results showed that the village men had a profound deficiency in the knowledge about foods. Also, the results showed that an effort to embrace and incorporate the cultural expressions of the villagers into the communication processes was made by the local nurses. It is recommended that frequent and intensified health campaigns be organized and that health promotion officials should adopt and utilize the Diffusion of Innovation Theory in the health campaigns on eating healthy foods that target the men in the villages.
KEYWORDS
Communication, Messages, Healthy Foods, Village Men, Cultural Expressions
Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Lovie Edwin Seru , Malebogo Moji , "Towards a Homophilous Communication of Messages on Healthy Eating Habits to the Men in Rural Villages of Botswana," Universal Journal of Public Health, Vol. 12, No. 6, pp. 1051 - 1058, 2024. DOI: 10.13189/ujph.2024.120603.
(b). APA Format:
Lovie Edwin Seru , Malebogo Moji (2024). Towards a Homophilous Communication of Messages on Healthy Eating Habits to the Men in Rural Villages of Botswana. Universal Journal of Public Health, 12(6), 1051 - 1058. DOI: 10.13189/ujph.2024.120603.