Assessing The Impact of Radio on Sexual Health Communication: A Comparative Study of Radio 4 and Hot fm Zambia among Residents of Kalingalinga Ward 30, Lusaka District, Zambia

Abstract

Sexual and reproductive health continues to be a major development concern in Zambia, especially in highly populated urban regions like Kalingalinga Ward 30 in Lusaka, where high rates of adolescent pregnancy and HIV prevalence continue to exist. While mass media is a key tool for health communication, the comparative effectiveness of public and commercial radio in influencing local health behaviours remains under-researched. This study evaluated how sexual reproductive health knowledge, attitudes, and practices among Kalingalinga people were affected by radio programming by Hot FM Zambia (commercial) and Radio 4 (public). It especially looked at exposure levels, how programming affects SRH knowledge, and how exposure and the adoption of healthy sexual practices are related. The study used a convergent parallel mixed-methods design and was based on pragmatism as a philosophical paradigm. Eight purposively chosen key informants, including radio producers and health educators, provided qualitative data, while 128 randomly chosen respondents completed structured questionnaires to provide quantitative data. While qualitative data were subjected to thematic analysis, quantitative data were analysed using SPSS. The findings revealed that 37.5 percent of respondents occasionally listened to SRH programming, with Radio 4 being seen as more reliable (64.8 percent) and Hot FM as more interesting (46.1 percent). Improved SRH knowledge and attitudes were shown to be significantly related to radio exposure (χ² = 3.200, p = 0.012). Only 28.1 percent of respondents correctly recognised consistent condom usage as an effective risk reduction strategy, even though awareness of HIV testing services was quite high (74.2 percent). The study concluded that while radio programming greatly increases SRH knowledge and fosters positive attitudes, there is still a gap between awareness and real behavioural change. The study, therefore, recommends greater cooperation between broadcasters and health service providers, more interactive programming, and the use of local languages to enhance communication.