Control Your Diabetes Campaign - United States
Increasing awareness about the importance and benefits of diabetes control is the key objective of the National Diabetes Education Program (NEDP)'s "Control Your Diabetes. For Life." campaign. The United States-based multimedia campaign seeks to reach the 17 million Americans with diabetes and their families with messages about the seriousness of diabetes, ways to control the disease, and the benefits of controlling diabetes for life. Special messages are tailored to high-risk populations.
Communication Strategies
Campaign messages emphasise that diabetes can be controlled by eating healthy foods in the right amounts, getting regular physical activity, taking diabetes medications as prescribed, and testing blood sugar on a regular basis. Materials offer tips to help people with diabetes keep their blood sugar under control. Many of these messages draw on people's concern for their families, rather than on self-centred reasons for being healthy. Selected titles of adverts include "I'm controlling my diabetes, so I'll be around for my grandchildren", "A little help from my family", and "Future generations".
Campaign messages and materials are designed to address senior citizens and ethnic minority populations including people who are African American, Hispanic, Asian American, Pacific Islanders, and Native American. (NDEP explains that these groups are at a higher risk for diabetes and more vulnerable to complications.) For example, messages addressing Native Americans urge that "the future of American Indians is threatened by diabetes. But we can fight it by controlling our blood sugar." Materials are produced in English and Spanish; some are also available in Cambodian, Chinese, Gujarati, Hmong, Ilokano, Korean, Laotian, Samoan, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.
Campaign messages are being delivered through various media. Television, radio, and print public service announcements (PSAs) and educational materials have been produced. These materials may be viewed or listened to on the campaign page on the NDEP site. Many include a toll-free (in the United States) telephone number for people with diabetes who seek more information. The printed flyers may be downloaded in PDF format; artwork is camera-ready and may be reprinted and disseminated without permission. News coverage is also being encouraged, as is promotion through a broad network of public and private sector organisations.
Campaign organisers are provided with a number of online resources. These tools include fact sheets, sample press releases, articles, promotional tools, logos and banners, and "tips for working with the media".
Campaign messages and materials are designed to address senior citizens and ethnic minority populations including people who are African American, Hispanic, Asian American, Pacific Islanders, and Native American. (NDEP explains that these groups are at a higher risk for diabetes and more vulnerable to complications.) For example, messages addressing Native Americans urge that "the future of American Indians is threatened by diabetes. But we can fight it by controlling our blood sugar." Materials are produced in English and Spanish; some are also available in Cambodian, Chinese, Gujarati, Hmong, Ilokano, Korean, Laotian, Samoan, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.
Campaign messages are being delivered through various media. Television, radio, and print public service announcements (PSAs) and educational materials have been produced. These materials may be viewed or listened to on the campaign page on the NDEP site. Many include a toll-free (in the United States) telephone number for people with diabetes who seek more information. The printed flyers may be downloaded in PDF format; artwork is camera-ready and may be reprinted and disseminated without permission. News coverage is also being encouraged, as is promotion through a broad network of public and private sector organisations.
Campaign organisers are provided with a number of online resources. These tools include fact sheets, sample press releases, articles, promotional tools, logos and banners, and "tips for working with the media".
Development Issues
Health.
Key Points
According to NDEP, diabetes is one of the leading causes of death and disability in the United States. It is the leading cause of adult blindness, end-stage kidney disease, and amputations of the foot or leg. It also puts people at increased risk of heart disease and stroke. Yet public awareness about the disease is very low, claims NDEP, and many people with diabetes do not understand all they can do to control their disease and prevent complications.
NDEP is a national initiative jointly sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To order NDEP materials (single copies are free) call 1-800-438-5383 or visit the NDEP website. To learn more about the NDEP Partnership Network and how it works, the various NDEP workgroups, and policies regarding reproducing NDEP materials, click here. NDEP also provides 2 other websites geared toward specific audiences: one for business and managed care and one on health systems change and quality improvement.
NDEP is a national initiative jointly sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To order NDEP materials (single copies are free) call 1-800-438-5383 or visit the NDEP website. To learn more about the NDEP Partnership Network and how it works, the various NDEP workgroups, and policies regarding reproducing NDEP materials, click here. NDEP also provides 2 other websites geared toward specific audiences: one for business and managed care and one on health systems change and quality improvement.
Sources
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