Say Yes! COVID Test: A Health Communication Campaign to Encourage Use of Rapid, At-Home Antigen Testing in Underserved and Historically Marginalized Communities

Autor: Lindsay Singler MPH, Gina Uhlenbrauck BA, Giselle Corbie-Smith MD, MSc, Al Richmond MSW, Amy Hattem MAEd, Kristen Linney RN, Michael Cohen-Wolkowiez MD, PhD
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2023
Předmět:
Zdroj: Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing, Vol 60 (2023)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 0046-9580
1945-7243
00469580
DOI: 10.1177/00469580221146046
Popis: This paper describes a robust health communication campaign that supported Say Yes! COVID Test, the first National Institutes of Health (NIH)-sponsored initiative promoting community-wide, at-home, rapid antigen testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome—coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the cause of the COVID-19 pandemic. The primary goals of the health communication campaign were to promote awareness of the program among local residents, facilitate test kit distribution, and encourage frequent test kit use. To plan and implement the campaign, the team applied principles of social marketing. The populations of focus were adult residents of selected communities in North Carolina (Greenville, Pitt County) and Tennessee (Chattanooga, Hamilton County), with an emphasis on underserved and historically marginalized populations. Following an accelerated planning phase, the campaign included digital, out-of-home, television, and radio advertising, in addition to public relations and organic social media. Collectively, this campaign coupled with our grassroots community engagement efforts facilitated the distribution of 66 035 test kits across both communities, or more than 1.6 million at-home tests. Facebook ads were the most successful in driving online test kit orders (7.9% conversion rate in Pitt County; 8.1% conversion rate in Chattanooga), although employing a variety of marketing channels enabled reach across multiple subpopulations. Market research data indicated high program awareness but low uptake in testing. Lessons learned from campaign planning and implementation can inform future public health initiatives, including selecting the appropriate marketing mix to facilitate awareness, and collaborating with community partners and local health departments to ensure successful program execution.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals