Timing of malaria messages for target audience on radio airwaves.
BACKGROUND
Due to the limitations of face-to-face communication to teach families how to manage, control and prevent malaria, national and local malaria programmes try to reach people through the radio. However, information regarding the timing of radio messages for the target audiences is lacking.


METHODS
Within a large-scale trial (Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT00565071), data regarding the time at which people listen to the radio was collected from 1,628 consenting outpatients (and caregivers for minors) attending six rural government primary level health care centres in Bushenyi and Iganga districts of Uganda from February to July 2011.


RESULTS
The majority of households, 1,099 (67.5%) owned a radio. The majority, 1,221 (86.3%), participants had heard about malaria from the radio. Some participants started listening to the radio at about 06.00 East African local time (EAT). The peak hours at which people listen to the radio are 12.00-14.00 and 18.00-23.00 local time. The median time of listening to the radio by men is 20.00 (inter-quartile range (IQR): 18.30-21.00) and women 19.30 (IQR: 13.00-20.30).


CONCLUSIONS
Planners of malaria radio interventions need to broadcast their messages within the two peak EAT of 12.00-14.00 and 18.00-23.00.
Department of Community Health, Mbarara University of Science & Technology, Mbarara, Uganda. vkbatwala@gmail.com
Vincent
V
Batwala
Pascal
P
Magnussen
Justine
J
Mirembe
Edgar
E
Mulogo
Fred
F
Nuwaha
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011845:Radio; D013997:Time Factors; D014454:Uganda; D055815:Young Adult