The Australian National Asthma Campaign: effects of public education activities based on mass media.

INTRODUCTION: The National Asthma Campaign (NAC) was formed in 1990 as a coalition of the key professional organizations concerned with asthma and its management in Australia. It has conducted multifaceted educational activities targeting health care professionals, people with asthma, and the general public. Between November 1991 and March 1993, an educational mass media campaign was developed to inform people about new approaches to preventive asthma therapy and how people with symptoms of asthma should talk to their doctor or pharmacist about new management and monitoring strategies. Evaluation was based on McGuire's communication/persuasion model for assessing the impact of mass media campaigns.

METHODS: Four serial cross-sectional population surveys of persons over the age of 18 years were conducted in four major Australian cities using structured telephone interviews. Information was sought on asthma campaign awareness and knowledge or use of appropriate asthma management practices.

RESULTS: There was an increasing trend in awareness of asthma messages in the media and of appropriate message recall across the two-year period. Knowledge about the need to use preventive therapy for asthma improved significantly. Among those with asthma there was a significant upward trend in the proportion who discussed asthma with their doctor or pharmacist and who used peak flow meters and written asthma management plans.

CONCLUSIONS: The net impact of the NAC and other activities has been an increase in awareness about asthma in Australia. These campaigns relied on the relatively nonselective medium of television to raise awareness and to start to change attitudes to asthma. The challenge is to build on these trends to further reduce morbidity and mortality due to asthma.