THE ROLE OF HEALTH COMMUNICATION IN COMBATING PROSTATE CANCER AMONG MEN IN IMO STATE, IN NIGERIA

Health communication is strategic in the prevention and management of prostate cancer at national and global levels. This study set out to assess the role of health communication in tackling prostate cancer among men in Imo state. This study focuses on Imo state with an increasing number of prostate cancer patients. The survey design was used to elicit data for the study. A total of 340 respondents from Imo state were randomly selected using the multistage sample procedure. The findings show that the internet was the major source of information and knowledge on prostate cancer 151 944.4%) while health care givers followed with 44(13%). The study therefore concludes that health communication is crucial to prostate cancer preventive and management approach. The study therefore recommended the need to establish a nationwide prostate cancer communication foundation to improve compliance and practice of prostate cancer messages.