BOOK REVIEW

A Comprehensive Book on Mass Media and HIV/AIDS Awareness in Delhi Slums  

Onkareshwar Pandey

New Delhi, Sep 19, 2018: HIV/AIDS is not new for India. But recently, an important survey based research study attracted the academia world which was carried out by promising scholar Prof. (Dr.) Neeraj Khattri. Apart from the health, it extensively discusses socio-economic, political and cultural aspects also. The purpose of this book is to understand the media habit of the slum dwellers with the socio-economic status. This book finds the general awareness about the HIV/AIDS among the people living in the slums.

The present scenario has been changed drastically and the impact of Mass media is very powerful which is concerned with every part of the life. It not only crafts the mindset of the people regarding the social consciences but also creates awareness regarding issues related to them. HIV-AIDS issue is one of them. The book synthesizes the impact of mass media on HIVAIDS awareness in slums. The remedy of this disease is not in medicine. It requires the social transformation with proper communication strategies. The book recommends the media and health literacy among doctors as well as their patients. The writer analyze the information dissemination strategies including print, radio, TV, internet, film and mobile and develop a platform for debate and discussion.

The study has been conducted only in five highly populated districts of Delhi.  North-West Delhi  Badli  South Delhi, Sanjay colony & Okhla  West Delhi Shakur Basti & Nagloi, South-West Delhi, Kishangarh & Mehrauli  North-East Delhi  Sahadra & Annanagar. The samples have been taken through equal proportion percentage of population of each district. The purposive stratified random sampling technique has been used to collect the data. Updated Kuppuswamys scale of Socio-economic status already exists has been used for this study.  Data processing was done with the help of SPSS 17.0 and some manual calculations. Cross tabulation statistical process of SPSS has been used for this Survey research. 

Book reveals understanding of the Mass Media habits of slum dwellers, Socio-economic status of the people living in slum, to find out the impact of Mass Media in generating awareness for prevention of HIV/AIDS in Delhi slum areas, to study NGO’s and Government establishments functioning as communication network in prevention of HIV/AIDS and to identify new strategies of communication to disseminate information about HIV/AIDS.

The survey shows that Radio did not play major role in creating awareness about HIV/AIDS prevention among slum dwellers. 70% of the respondents of Delhi slums say that they got the maximum information, knowledge and awareness about HIV/AIDS through TV, out of which the percentage of South Delhi district (81.7%) and North-West District (77.0%) records the highest awareness through TV. The awareness about HIV/AIDS in Delhi slums through Internet and Films is least effective.

TV has been the most effective means of Mass Media in creating HIV/AIDS awareness as compare to other means of Mass Media. North-West District of Delhi records the maximum impact of TV in creating HIV/AIDS awareness. The impact of TV in creating HIV/AIDS awareness among female respondents records high as compared to the Male respondents. The impact of TV in creating HIV/AIDS awareness records the high percentage of respondents among the age group of 15-24 and 25-34. The Internet records the least impact in creating HIV/AIDS awareness in all the district of Delhi. The study reveals that TV is the most effective means of Mass Media in spreading HIV/AIDS awareness.

The researcher interviewed the government and non-government officials for existing HIV/AIDS awareness communication techniques and their strength, weakness, opportunity and threat. Their responses were recorded on the questionnaire and examined by SWOT analysis. The study shows that the 31% of Delhi slum population is unemployed. They are the ones who are unskilled. The maximum people in Delhi slums are confused between AIDS and HIV. In their opinion both AIDS and HIV are diseases. Only 20% of the respondents term HIV as Virus. Most of our respondents say that spreading of AIDS is due to unsafe sex. The overview impact of Newspaper/ Magazine has not been very successful among the slum dwellers. The impact has been worked out on the basis of awareness, knowledge, reach, access and use by the respondent. The SWOT analysis proves that the weaknesses of survey-based should be converted into their strength that can happen only when the producers those are not making short films & documentaries should better gear-up and start focusing on making such programs frequently.

The author recommended that the measures should be taken to improve the socio-economic and education status of slum dwellers. There should be workshops and training programs organized in these areas to inculcate the Media habit and improve personal hygiene. In order to make HIV/AIDS awareness more effective there should be a brand ambassador solely dedicated to HIV/AIDS awareness campaign. It should be broadcasted on the major channels at frequent intervals as well as an attractive advertisement representing the proper message along with the symbol in Newspapers/Magazines. The private Medical practitioners of slum area should be well versed with HIV/AIDS related researches and issues.

The Journalist should be highly skilled to cover the HIV/academic news and stories with due sensitivity which it deserves. Hindi Newspaper and Magazine should more stories related to HIV/AIDS, so that the people living in slums become more aware about HIV/AIDS prevention. Government agencies like NACO and Delhi State AIDS Control Society should produce more programs related to HIV/AIDS for TV. It is pointed in the survey that the doctors and the staff dealing with HIV positive patients are hesitant to attend them. But instead they should be more cautious and attached to the patients while attending them. This will give a sense of security and confidence to the patients.

It is recommended that there should be well trained health communicator for HIV/AIDS awareness dissemination. The stakeholders of NGOs and Government agencies must learn the art of allocation financial resources properly and avoid wasting funds on flimsy activities. The International and National level Seminars & Conferences should be organized by the Government and Educational Institutions HIV-AIDS. The Mass Media organizations and Media education institutions should organize health related Workshops and Symposia for their employees and students respectively so that they can be well aware of the challenges related to HIV/AIDS. 

Hope, this new research would be an instrument to develop the deep insight and policy regarding the role of mass media to design the mass campaign. It is useful ready reference to research scholars, government officials and health care policy makers. The book must be published in Paper Back Edition also, so that it can be reach to its concerned stake holders.

Book Title - MASS MEDIA AND HIV/AIDS AWARENESS IN SLUMS 

by Prof. (Dr.) Neeraj Khattri

Random Publications, Daryaganj, New Delhi

Hard Bound

Price: Rs. 850/-