Page 108 - IJPS-10-1

International Journal of
Population Studies Parent-adolescent communication about COVID-19 safety

translated these messages into different languages such someone who was infected by the virus on television,
as Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba to reach as many people as I was afraid especially since people couldn’t go close to
possible. So, as long as you watch television, you will see the body. When I called my children to talk to them
them disseminating the information to those who are about the virus, they were afraid after I explained to
impaired or speak only their native dialects like Igbo, them how dangerous it is and how quickly it could
Yoruba and Hausa. So, they did their best in ensuring take one’s life.” (Female, 44 years old, health worker)
that the information is properly disseminated. They Some parents who had been apathetic about
taught us how to use hand sanitizers, open the tap, COVID-19 – despite the sharing from other sources –
and do many other things.” (Female, 44 years old, civil
servant) started to take the potentially dire consequences seriously
“Everything I know about the virus, I learned from the only after witnessing the gravity of the pandemic from the
media. An illustrative quote is given below:
news media or on television. They showed those who “I first heard about it at the church but then, I didn’t
contracted the virus, its signs and symptoms and how
to manage it. On TV, they said we have to wash our take it seriously. Then I watched it on television
hands regularly, whenever we touch anything or shake coupled with images of death and people that are
[hand with] someone, we ought to wash our hands. infected then the media also reported that the virus
Also, they talked about the need for us to wear face has entered Nigeria. After that, I became afraid and
masks.” (Female, 44 years old, health worker) quickly called my children. That was when I started
advising my children to be careful.” (Male, 35 years
However, the news was phrased in a way that made old, artisan)
most respondents develop fatalistic attitude toward the
pandemic, and because of the intimidating presence of 3.5. Content of the discussion between parents and
COVID-19, they feared for the safety of themselves and their children about COVID-19 safety precautions
their family members. One of the respondents, a clergy The data revealed that safety precautions were emphasized
described his experience as follows: in the discussions between parents and their children.
“I first learnt of it on Aljazeera news media, which I Parents told their children to comply with the safety
usually listen to. When it (COVID-19) got into America, precautions, such as wearing face masks, using hand
we saw how devastating it was, we also saw how it killed sanitizers, washing hands regularly, and avoiding places
people in China. Before it even entered Nigeria, we with crowds, as presented by the media. Some quotes
were already afraid after seeing the people it killed in captured it this way:
developed countries…, we wondered what becomes of “We talked about how to prevent them from
nations like ours.” (Male, 45 years old, clergy) contracting the virus, how to wash hands regularly and

3.4. Initiation of discussion about COVID-19 avoid shaking people and wear facemasks.” (Female,
44 years old, health worker)
The findings in this section showcase how parents converse “We normally tell them to be very careful how they
with their children, after learning of the virus outbreak. It touch or shake people, including talking to people.
was found that discussions about COVID-19 mostly arose If you have to talk to anyone you have to maintain
after the news coverage of the mortality and prevalence of some distance from them or social distance to
the virus started to increase. The media images showing avoid contracting the virus.” (Female, 39 years old,
those killed by the virus have motivated parents to talk businesswoman)
to their children about the virus and safety precautions.
Parents initiated the discussions that inspired fear in their Parents reported that they needed to address the
children. Some illustrative quotes are as follows: inquiries of their children mostly on how to identify an
“It is usually the media that initiated the discussion infected person and how to protect oneself during the
between me and my child. After watching the news, discussions. The data showed that parents address these
I called them to inform them to be careful about concerns based on what they learn from the media. Some
COVID-19 and that the disease is very deadly and of the parents’ quotes are as follows:
very dangerous. So, the summary of the discussion is “During the discussion, my child asked questions like,
for them to be very careful so they don’t contract the “how do you know who is infected with COVID-19?”
virus.” (Female, 39 years old, businesswoman). Then I explained to him based on what I saw on the
“I know that COVID-19 is bad but I can’t say I have news that an infected person breathes hard, coughs
come in contact with the person who contracted the repeatedly and shows signs of fever.” (Male, 53 years
virus. I only see them on television. The day I saw old, businessman)

Volume 10 Issue 1 (2024) 102 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.363