Impact of mass media on the utilization of antenatal care services among women of rural community in Nepal.
BACKGROUND
Antenatal care has several benefits for expecting mothers and birth outcomes; yet many mothers do not utilise this service in Nepal. Mass media may play an important role in increasing the use of antenatal care and other maternal health services. However, the effect of mass media on increasing health service utilisation has remained an under studied area in Nepal. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of mass media on the utilisation of antenatal care services in rural Nepal.


METHODS
A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Sinurjoda Village Development Committee of Dhanusha District, Nepal. A total of 205 mothers of children aged under 1 year were selected using systematic random sampling. Logistic regression was employed to examine the association between selected antenatal care services and mass media exposure after adjusting for other independent variables.


RESULTS
A majority of mothers were exposed to mass media. Radio was accessible to most (60.0%) of the participants followed by television (43.41%). Mothers exposed to mass media were more likely to attending antenatal visits [Odds ratio (OR) 6.28; 95% CI (1.01-38.99)], taking rest and sleep during pregnancy [OR 2.65; 95% CI (1.13-6.26)], and receiving TT immunization [OR 5.12; 95% CI (1.23-21.24)] than their non-exposed counterparts.


CONCLUSIONS
The study reported a positive influence of mass media on the utilisation of antenatal care services in Nepal. Therefore, further emphasis should be given to increase awareness of women of rural Nepal through mass media to improve utilisation of antenatal care services in Nepal.
Department of Public Health, Purbanchal University, Sanjeevani College of Medical Science, Rupandehi, Nepal. dilaramacharya123@gmail.com.
Dilaram
D
Acharya
School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, Australia. khanal.vishnu@gmail.com.|Nepal Development Society, Bharatpur, Nepal. khanal.vishnu@gmail.com.
Vishnu
V
Khanal
Department of Community Medicine, Tribhuwan University, Janaki Medical College, Janakpur, Nepal. m2jiten@gmail.com.
Jitendra Kumar
JK
Singh
Population Services International, Nawalparasi, Nepal. adhikarimandira2013@gmail.com.
Mandira
M
Adhikari
Department of Public Health, Purbanchal University, Sanjeevani College of Medical Science, Rupandehi, Nepal. salu_but@yahoo.com.
Salila
S
Gautam
D022126:Access to Information; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008402:Mass Media; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009390:Nepal; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D064186:Prenatal Education; D011897:Random Allocation; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012424:Rural Population; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid / Q000276:immunology; D055815:Young Adult
D013745:Tetanus Toxoid