The Impact of Media Advertisement on HIV/AIDS Control in Tanzania: The Case of Dar es Salaam

Abstract

HIV/AIDS pandemic is threatening the whole world at large and particularly developing countries, Tanzania being no exception.  AIDS was initially diagnosed in Tanzania in 1983 in Kagera region. In Tanzania, the disease has been spreading unevenly and unpredictably fast over time and to date no cure is available.  Since no cure is available, prevention is a critical factor.  This being the case, emphasis by the government and other non governmental bodies has been put to the media.  Thus, the power of advertisement messages in various media to contain the spread of HIV/AIDs is hereby investigated.  This is done by employing contingency table analysis to data on safe sex practice particularly condom use collected by double sampling procedure in Dar es Salaam – Tanzania.  The study reveals that the sampled population awareness of HIV/AIDS and safe sex practices are not directly related.  However, of those using condoms as preventive measure, it was found that messages from all media had significant impact as a source for the users.  The major sources or ‘educator’ were radio messages (all stations), newspapers and television.  It is suggested a bigger audience profile could be ‘educated’ if the mode of advertised messages is improved by displaying scientific type of plays which have been tested on radio and/or messages positioning condoms as modern and position items for use in all media.