Knowledge Shifts

Positive increments in AIDS awareness with each subsequent campaign were evident. After Phase 1, 94% of respondents were aware of AIDS; after Phase 2, 97% of respondents were aware of AIDS; and after the Second Wave of Phase 2, 99% of respondents were aware of AIDS. Sources of information on AIDS from media activities were consistently high, with television ads ranking highest (90% of respondents heard about AIDS from television). Community-based sources of information on AIDS ranked between 5 and 10%.

There was also an increased understanding of the role of needle sharing in the transmission of HIV/AIDS with each subsequent campaign. After Phase 1, 31% of respondents indicated an awareness of that mode of transmission, while 46% responded in that way after Phase 2 and 62% responded in that way after the Second Wave of Phase 2.

Notably, there was a corresponding decline in knowledge about AIDS transmission through unprotected sex. After Phase 1, 57% of respondents reported having that knowledge as compared with 58% in Phase 2 and 49% in the Second Wave of Phase 2. This decline in knowledge may have resulted from an increased focus on IDU in more recent campaign strategies.

Attitudes

A high level of respondents indicated acceptance of the government's involvement in AIDS campaigns: 99% rated the government's initiative in running the campaign as important, or very important.

There is evidence of an increasing influence of campaign ads on people's attitudes about HIV/AIDS, with respondents being somewhat or strongly influenced by exposure to the advertising. Eighty-one percent of respondents after Phase 1 were so affected; 77% of those exposed to Phase 2 were so affected; and 89% of those exposed to the Second Wave of Phase 2 were somewhat or strongly influenced.

Practices

Target group respondents indicated intending to change their behaviour as a result of seeing campaign ads. One percent of respondents intended to do nothing after seeing the latest campaign, while 29% intended to do nothing after being exposed to the Phase 2 campaign. Behavioural intentions also focused on sex practices such as wearing condoms and modifying drug use. Twenty-three percent of respondents exposed to the Phase 2 campaign indicated having those intentions, as compared to 44% after the Second Wave of Phase 2. There was a concomitant shift in respondent intentions to seek further information and to talk to friends. Intentions to change other needle sharing practices such as tattooing or initiation also changed significantly (from 0% in Phase 2 to 13% after the Second Wave of Phase 2).

Source

Letter sent from Tahir Turk to The Communication Initiative on 11/6/01.

For full evaluation and more information, contact:

Tahir Turk, Director, Tahir Turk & Associates TTA Marketing Communications Consultants, PO Box 1322, North Sydney NSW Australia 2059

Tel: 61 8 9284 7785.

Fax: 61 8 9284 7795

Mob 0416 037 708.

tturk@ttassoc.net