Abstract

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the leading causes of death among men in the world. In Kenya, the Central Region is one of the leading regions in PCa prevalence rate. Early screening is recommended as one of the prevention measures of the disease. But studies show that there is low uptake of PCa screening in the region. Screening can be encouraged by Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) strategies such as advocacy, mass media campaigns, message framing, participatory and interpersonal communication. However, these BCC strategies might not be effective due to other factors such as culture, gender and attitude. This study therefore examined the moderating role of culture in influencing men’s response to PCa behaviour change communication efforts in the central region of Kenya. The study was guided by the Theory of Reasoned Action. It was anchored on the Pragmatist philosophical paradigm and took a mixed method approach which involved both qualitative and quantitative designs where Survey and Focus Group Discussions were used to obtain data. A sample of 384 people was picked from an estimated population of 700,010 men aged 40 years and above from the region using simple random sampling. The results of this study show that culture shapes attitude and thus it has a great influence on men’s response to PCa behaviour change communication efforts. Therefore, when designing behaviour change communication strategies, there is need to address cultural factors that might impede the successful application of the said strategies in a health campaign. 

Key Words: Prostate Cancer, Screening, Behavior Change Communication, Culture, Attitude Change

About the Author

* Kahura Ndung’u, Ph.D., is a lecturer of Communication, Media Studies and Public Relations. His area of interest in research is Health Communication. He teaches in the Department of Human Resource Development at Karatina University, Karatina, Kenya.

^JCMR Journal of Communication and Media Research, Vol. 17, No. 2, October 2025, pp. 158-168

© Association of Media and Communication Researchers of Nigeria (AMCRON).

Article Citation

Ndung’u, K. (2025). Influence of culture on men’s response to prostate cancer behaviour change communication efforts in Central Kenya. Journal of Communication and Media Research, 17 (2): 158-168.

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