Title: Role of health communication strategies of 'National Health Mission' in the rural maternal health in Assam

Authors: Raj Kiran Doley; Perumal Anbarasan

Addresses: District Institute of Education and Training, Diet Sonitpur, Biswanath District, Bamgaon, BG Road, Ward No. 8, Biswanath Chariali, Assam, 784176, India ' Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, Tezpur University, Assam, India

Abstract: Communication is one of the foundations of health care. This research intends to study the role of health communication adopted by National Health Mission (NHM) in the improvement of maternal health scenario of Assam. It explores the contributing factors in the maternal deaths, and also examines the effectiveness and impact of the health communication strategies in addressing health issues, especially rural maternal health through detailed understanding of the health behaviours and media habits of the target audience. The study is an empirical one, driven by explanatory research approach. The findings of this study states that health awareness is prevalent amongst the rural women; however, there is a lack of practice of the recommended health behaviours. The health outcome is not at par with the communication exposures. It calls for the need of attitudinal and behavioural change efforts using more interpersonal communication interventions and other communication strategies driven by infotainment approach.

Keywords: health communication; public health; awareness; interpersonal communication; media tools; maternal health; IEC; BCC; strategies; health behaviour.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHD.2021.117793

International Journal of Happiness and Development, 2021 Vol.6 No.4, pp.368 - 389

Received: 04 Jul 2020
Accepted: 21 Jan 2021
Published online: 24 Sep 2021 *

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