Abstract

The paper examines the effects of mass media health communication, specifically, maternal access and use of media communication in health and health care on childhood immunisation at the peri-urban settlements in the Kumasi metropolis. A sample of 240 mothers, drawn using random (chance selection) was used for the survey. The main research instrument was formal interview (face-to-face). Charts were used to depict the results whilst chi square tests, derived from cross-tabulation using the Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS), were used to determine significant differences among the independent variables. Results show that children whose parents regularly access mass media health communication go through all or greater part of immunisation methods. Other factors that influence childhood immunisation are maternal age, schooling, employment, marital status and husband’s education. For maternal access of health communication, the significant factors influencing it are maternal education, husband’s education and marital status. Recommendations made to improve maternal access of childhood immunisation facilities and health communication include, compulsory education of the girl-child beyond basic education, informal education of illiterate mothers, provision of mass media health communication facilities such as television sets in the communities, enhancement of health communication at the hospitals, the simplification of the language used in health communication, and the regular use of local languages. Further research areas have been proposed.