College publishes on malaria vaccine awareness

Emmanuel Angmorteh Mensah, current student in the East Tennessee State University College of Public Health doctor of public health program, has published an article in Discover Public Health.  The article is titled, “Mass media exposure and sociodemographic factors associated with malaria vaccine awareness among women of childbearing age in Ghana.”

Charles Olomofe and Megan Quinn, alumnus and professor in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, are co-authors.  Henry Ofori Duah of the University of Cincinnati  is an additional co-author.

The development, approval and adoption of the malaria vaccine has provided effective supplemental protection against malaria for children in Ghana. However, heightened awareness of the new vaccine will play a critical role in its mass deployment and acceptance among potential recipients. This study therefore determined the sociodemographic characteristics associated with malaria vaccine awareness and ascertained the influence of traditional media exposure on awareness in Ghana.

The study used the Demographic and Health Survey 2019 Malaria Indicator Survey Data.  Among the participants, 35.65% had heard about the malaria vaccine. Predictors of awareness included higher education attainment, rural residency and being in the northern part of the country.  Other positive predictors of awareness were Guan ethnicity, malaria health education, and radio set ownership. Television ownership showed no significant relationship with awareness.

The researchers concluded that the general nationwide awareness has not yet reached a desirable level. This study suggests that, the awareness drive, preferably through radio campaigns, must target individuals with less than tertiary education and urban communities. Awareness campaigns on televisions should be evaluated and possibly redesigned for effectiveness.