Article Type: Research

Received: 08, Jan. 2019.

Accepted: 10, Mar. 2018.

Published: 10, Mar. 2018.

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of songs in disseminating maternal health care messages in South-East Nigeria. Multistage sampling procedure was used in the selection of 240 respondents using structured questionnaire and Focus Group Discussion to generate data. Data generated were analyzed using frequency distribution and mean scores. Major findings indicated that knowledge of the respondents on maternal health messages before the intervention was ( = 2.26) for Abia, Ebonyi (2.20) and Imo ( = 1.9) respectively. The study further revealed the level of knowledge of the respondent after exposure to intervention as Abia ( = 3.49), Ebonyi ( = 3.11) and Imo ( = 3.28) respectively indicating an increase in level of kknowledge. On effect the tiveness of the songs across the states, a significant increase of ( = 1.23) Abia, Ebonyi ( = 1.14) and ( = 1.38) Imo respectively. Constraints on the use of songs in disseminating the result revealed that massive audience exposure had a mean score of ( = 3.42), difficult in translation ( = 3.12), low literacy rate ( = 3.23) and time consuming ( = 3.42) respectively. Therefore, the concluded that songs are effective in disseminating maternal health messages to rural women in the study area, and also recommend its use in information dissemination instead of sophisticated channels which are not readily accessible.

Songs, maternal health-care messages and rural women  .