The Influence of Communication Messages on Adoption of Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP) Vaccine among Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) Pastoralists in Kenya

Purpose: The purpose was to establish influence of communication messages on adoption of Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP) Vaccine among Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) pastoralists in Kenya. Messages were studied under parameters of inoculation site, benefits, required frequency of vaccination and side effects. The focus on the vaccine messaging was informed by the slow pace of adoption of live T1 vaccines currently being used to eradicate CBPP in Kenya. Diffusion of innovation and social learning theories were used to support the study. Methodology: Study population were pastoralists in Narok South Sub County. 468 respondents inclusive of qualitative and quantitative samples where 440 responded to questionnaire, 24 in focus group discussions, and 4 in key informant interviews participated. Multi stage, purposive, simple random, systematic and stratified sampling techniques were then employed to come up with respondents. Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) version 20.0 was used to analyze data, which was presented using regression coefficients and ANOVA. Findings: CBPP messaging influenced respondents to vaccinate although some had more influence than others. Messages on inoculation site, benefits, required frequency of vaccination side effects and communal vaccinations were important for the survival of their cattle and significantly influenced the decisions of respondents to vaccinate against the disease. Moreover, messages helped them to know important information details such as vaccination venues, and costs of vaccination and availability of the veterinary officers. CBPP vaccine messages attributes were key in the success of influencing respondents. However, the messaging ran into already held misinformation by some pastoralists confirming earlier study that vaccination rate was at 20-60% because some skipped the exercise. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: CBPP vaccine messages and attributes significantly influenced CBPP vaccinations decisions among pastoralists. This study validated diffusion of innovation and social learning theories that innovation-decision process is essentially an information seeking and processing activity in which an individual is motivated to reduce uncertainty about the advantages and disadvantages of the innovation. For policy and practice, this study recommends development of communication plans, and packaging of CBPP vaccine messages for dissemination in the ASALs where disease is prevalent. Considering that CBPP is a trans-boundary disease, these plans and messages could be harmonized across ASAL counties to enable consistency and coherence.