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Promoting public awareness of randomised clinical trials using the media: the 'Get Randomised' campaign.

ABSTRACT: WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS SUBJECT * Recruitment is key to the success of clinical trials. * Many clinical trials fail to achieve adequate recruitment. * Public understanding and engagement in clinical research could be improved. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS * 'Get Randomised' is the first campaign of its kind in the UK. * It is possible to improve public awareness of clinical research using the media. * Further work is needed to determine whether improved public awareness leads to increased participation in clinical research in the future. AIM To increase public awareness and understanding of clinical research in Scotland. METHODS A generic media campaign to raise public awareness of clinical research was launched in 2008. The 'Get Randomised' campaign was a Scotland-wide initiative led by the University of Dundee in collaboration with other Scottish universities. Television, radio and newspaper advertising showed leading clinical researchers, general practitioners and patients informing the public about the importance of randomised clinical trials (RCTs). 'Get Randomised' was the central message and interested individuals were directed to the http://www.getrandomised.org website for more information. To assess the impact of the campaign, cross-sectional surveys were conducted in representative samples of 1040 adults in Scotland prior to campaign launch and again 6 months later. RESULTS There was an improvement in public awareness of clinical trials following the campaign; 56.7% [95% confidence interval (CI) 51.8, 61.6] of the sample recalled seeing or hearing advertising about RCTs following the campaign compared with 14.8% (10.8, 18.9) prior to the campaign launch (difference = 41.4%; 95% CI for difference 35.6, 48.3; P < 0.01). Of those who recalled the advertising, 49% felt that the main message was that people should take part more in medical research. However, on whether they would personally take part in a clinical trial if asked, there was little difference in response following the campaign ['yes' 31.3% (28.4, 34.1) prior; 30.4% (27.6, 33.2) following; difference =-0.9%; 95% CI for difference -4.8, 3.1%; P= 0.92]. CONCLUSIONS It is possible to raise public awareness of clinical research using the media, but further efforts may be required to influence individuals' decisions to take part in clinical research.

SUBMITTER: Mackenzie IS

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2817445 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:BackgroundPrior research suggests that social media-based public health campaigns are often targeted by countercampaigns.ObjectiveUsing reactance theory as the theoretical framework, this research characterizes the nature of public response to tobacco prevention messages disseminated via a social media-based campaign. We also examine whether agreement with the prevention messages is associated with comment tone and nature of the contribution to the overall discussion.MethodsUser comments to tobacco prevention messages, posted between April 19, 2017 and July 12, 2017, were extracted from Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Two coders categorized comments in terms of tone, agreement with message, nature of contribution, mentions of government agency and regulation, promotional or spam comments, and format of comment. Chi-square analyses tested associations between agreement with the message and tone of the public response and the nature of contributions to the discussions.ResultsOf the 1242 comments received (Twitter: n=1004; Facebook: n=176; Instagram: n=62), many comments used a negative tone (42.75%) and disagreed with the health messages (39.77%), while the majority made healthy contributions to the discussions (84.38%). Only 0.56% of messages mentioned government agencies, and only 0.48% of the comments were antiregulation. Comments employing a positive tone (84.13%) or making healthy contributions (69.11%) were more likely to agree with the campaign messages (P=0.01). Comments employing a negative tone (71.25%) or making toxic contributions (36.26%) generally disagreed with the messages (P=0.01).ConclusionsThe majority of user comments in response to a tobacco prevention campaign made healthy contributions. Our findings encourage the use of social media to promote dialogue about controversial health topics such as smoking. However, toxicity was characteristic of comments that disagreed with the health messages. Managing negative and toxic comments on social media is a crucial issue for social media-based tobacco prevention campaigns to consider.

Project description:ObjectivesEvaluate the effect of a health promotion campaign aimed at increasing awareness about dementia risk reduction in middle-aged community-dwelling individuals in the Netherlands.DesignA 10-month public health campaign using mass media and community participation, supported by eHealth. Population-level difference in awareness before and after the campaign, including variation between demographic groups, was assessed in two independent cross-sectional samples from the same target population.SettingThe public health campaign was launched in the Province of Limburg, the Netherlands, targeting all inhabitants aged 40-75 years old. Three specific districts within the Province were chosen for an additional community participation approach, in which local stakeholders were invited to support the campaign.ResultsNo pre- (n=590) post- (n=602) difference was observed in people agreeing to the statement that dementia risk reduction is possible (X2(1)=1.27, p=0.260). For the individual lifestyle factors, physical activity (7.6% increase (X2(1)=7.48, p=0.006)) and healthy diet (10.5% increase (X2(1)=12.37, p≤0.001)) were identified more often as being protective against dementia after the campaign. Of all risk/protective factors assessed, cognitive activity was identified most often at both preassessment (79.4%) and postassessment (80.4%), but there was no increase in awareness (X2(1)=0.17, p=0.677). Self-reported exposure to the campaign was associated with greater awareness and motivation for behavioural change (X2(1)=6.52, p=0.011). Compared with mass media only, the addition of community participation resulted in better recognition of campaign material and the eHealth platform.ConclusionsThis study was not able to reach a population-level increase of awareness of dementia risk reduction. Two out of the three lifestyle factors that formed the foundation of the campaign were identified more often after the campaign. Those reported having been exposed to the campaign were more aware and more inclined towards behavioural change.

Project description:The US Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services outline regulations allowing an exception from informed consent (EFIC) for research conducted in an emergency setting. Acute care clinical trials using EFIC must include community consultation and public disclosure (CC/PD) activities. We describe our experience using social media to facilitate the CC/PD process in two trauma resuscitation clinical trials.We conducted local CC/PD activities for two multicenter trauma clinical trials, Pragmatic, Randomized Optimal Platelet and Plasma Ratios (PROPPR) and Prehospital Tranexamic Acid Use for Traumatic Brain Injury (ROC-TXA). As part of the CC/PD process, we developed research study advertisements using the social media Web site Facebook. The Facebook advertisements directed users to a regional study Web site that contained trial information. We targeted the advertisements to specific demographic users, in specific geographic areas. We analyzed the data using descriptive statistics.During the study periods, the PROPPR Facebook advertisement was displayed 5,001,520 times (12 displays per target population) with 374 individuals selecting the advertisement. The ROC-TXA Facebook advertisement was displayed 3,806,448 times (8 per target population) with 790 individuals selecting the advertisement. Respondents to both Facebook advertisements were mostly male (52.6%), with the highest proportion between the ages 15 years and 24 years (28.2%). Collectively, 26.9% of individuals that clicked on the Facebook advertisement spent more than 3 minutes on the study Web site (3-49 minutes). Commonly accessed Web pages were "contact us" (PROPPR, 5.5%; ROC-TXA, 7.7%), "study-specific FAQs" (PROPPR, 2.4%; ROC-TXA, 6.7%), and "opt out of research" (PROPPR, 2.5%; ROC-TXA, 3.8%). Of 51 total individuals viewing the opt out of research information (PROPPR, 19; ROC-TXA, 32), time spent on that specific page was modest (PROPPR, 62 seconds; ROC-TXA, 55 seconds), with no individuals requesting to opt out of either study participation.In clinical trauma trials using EFIC, social media may provide a viable option for facilitating the CC/PD process.

Project description:BackgroundSocial marketing campaigns offer a promising approach to the prevention of childhood obesity. Change4Life (C4L) is a national obesity prevention campaign in England. It included mass media coverage aiming to reframe obesity into a health issue relevant to all and provided the opportunity for parents to complete a brief questionnaire ('How are the Kids') and receive personalised feedback about their children's eating and activity. Print and online C4L resources were available with guidance about healthy eating and physical activity. The study aims were to examine the impact of personalised feedback and print material from the C4L campaign on parents' attitudes and behaviours about their children's eating and activity in a community-based cluster-randomised controlled trial.MethodsParents of 5-11?year old children were recruited from 40 primary schools across England. Schools were randomised to intervention or control ('usual care'). Basic demographic data and brief information about their attitudes to their children's health were collected. Families in intervention schools were mailed the C4L print materials and the 'How are the Kids' questionnaire; those returning the questionnaire were sent personalised feedback and others received generic materials. Outcomes included awareness of C4L, attitudes to the behaviours recommended in C4L, parenting behaviours (monitoring and modelling), and child health behaviours (diet, physical activity and television viewing). Follow-up data were collected from parents by postal questionnaire after six months. Qualitative interviews were carried out with a subset of parents (n?=?12).Results3,774 families completed baseline questionnaires and follow-up data were obtained from 1,419 families (37.6%). Awareness was high in both groups at baseline (75%), but increased significantly in the intervention group by follow-up (96% vs. 87%). Few parents (5.2% of the intervention group) returned the questionnaire to get personalised feedback. There were few significant group differences in parental attitudes or parenting and child health behaviours at follow-up. Physical activity was rated as less important in the intervention group, but a significant group-by-socioeconomic status (SES) interaction indicated that this effect was confined to higher SES families. Similar interactions were also seen for physical activity monitoring and child television time; with adverse effects in higher SES families and no change in the lower SES families. Effects were little better in families that completed the questionnaire and received personalised feedback. At interview, acceptability of the intervention was modest, although higher in lower SES families.ConclusionsThe C4L campaign materials achieved increases in awareness of the campaign, but in this sample had little impact on attitudes or behaviour. Low engagement with the intervention appeared a key issue.Trial registration numberCurrent Controlled Trials ISRCTN00791709.

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Promoting public awareness of randomised clinical trials using the media: the 'Get Randomised' campaign.

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