Research team from Unimas completes study in Baram

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COMMUNITY SERVICE: A research team member giving health talk to participants of the research project.

BARAM: A research team from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) recently visited Marudi, Long Lama, Long Bedian and Long San in Baram to study the awareness level of the rural communities with regards to influenza outbreaks and prevention measures.

The team also investigated information processing and styles, including the engagement and utilisation of media bythe rural communities.

The researchers felt this was vital for achieving effective risk communication in any activity related to public health campaigns, Unimas said in a press statement yesterday.

During the five-day trip, which started on May 14, the team gathered data through questionnaires.

They used face-to-face dialogue sessions using focus group method at Long Bedian and Long San to obtain their respondents’ feedback with regards to barriers in attaining effective risk communication using media and other channels in public health campaign activities.

The research project was funded under a research grant obtained from the Ministry of Higher Education and was headed by Dr Rohaya Mohd Nor from the Faculty of Economics and Business.

The team members were Dr Samuel Lihan of Faculty of Resource Science and Technology, Rose Nanju@Manju, Dr Sidiah John Siop and Rekaya Vincent Balang of Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, and Nordiana Nordin, Constance Rinen Justin Wah and Rudy Ujang of Faculty of Economics and Business.

The findings of this research will be published in local and international conferences and journals. More details about the project can be obtained from Rohaya at [email protected] or Samuel at [email protected].