Abstract

Breast cancer has been a major health challenge leading to the death of many women in Nigeria. Lack of knowledge of the symbiotic relationship between breast cancer on one side and consumption of alcoholic drinks and smoking of cigarette on the other has exposed many to the danger of being potential cancer patients. Relying on the need to bridge the knowledge-gap among respondents, this study examined knowledge and awareness of the health implications of smoking and drinking among female cigarette smokers and consumers of alcoholic drinks in Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria. The specific objective of the study is to ascertain the respondents’ degree of awareness that being a female cigarette smoker and consumer of alcoholic drinks can cause cancer and why they consume them. Health belief model served as the theory whereas the qualitative research approach FGD and KII were used in studying 30 respondents selected using Snowball sampling technique.  Findings revealed that although respondents are aware that their habits have negative health implications, they are not aware that it causes cancer. It was concluded that ignorance leads to negative health attitudes among the respondents. The implications of this study are that awareness is needed for public health consciousness.

Key Words: Cancer, Health, Alcoholics, Cigarette Smokers, Health Belief 

About the Authors

*Peter Chierike Ikegbunam, Ph.D., https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1763-7652, is a Lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam Campus, Anambra State, Nigeria. His areas of research interest are: Development Communication with a specialty in health-related issues, media and communication studies, print media and society, communication and media research

**Angela Nkiru Nwammuo, Ph.D., https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5480-1992, is an Associate Professor of Mass Communication at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam Campus, Anambra State, Nigeria. Her research interests are in Gender studies, Public Relations/Advertising, Media studies, Broadcasting and Indigenous Language Systems.

^JCMR Journal of Communication and Media Research, Vol. 17, No. 1, April 2025, pp. 1-12

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

Article Citation

Ikegbunam, P. C. & Nwammuo, A. N. (2025). Knowledge and awareness of the health implications of smoking and drinking among female cigarette smokers and consumers of alcoholic drinks in Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria. Journal of Communication and Media Research, 17 (1): 1-12.

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