A mass vaccination campaign targeting adults and children to prevent typhoid fever in Hechi; expanding the use of Vi polysaccharide vaccine in southeast China: a cluster-randomized trial.
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BACKGROUND: One of the goals of this study was to learn the coverage, safety and logistics of a mass vaccination campaign against typhoid fever in children and adults using locally produced typhoid Vi polysaccharide (PS) and group A meningococcal PS vaccines in southern China. METHODS: The vaccination campaign targeted 118,588 persons in Hechi, Guangxi Province, aged between 5 to 60 years, in 2003. The study area was divided into 107 geographic clusters, which were randomly allocated to receive one of the single-dose parenteral vaccines. All aspects regarding vaccination logistics, feasibility and safety were documented and systematically recorded. Results of the logistics, feasibility and safety are reported. RESULTS: The campaign lasted 5 weeks and the overall vaccination coverage was 78%. On average, the 30 vaccine teams gave immunizations on 23 days. Vaccine rates were higher in those aged < or = 15 years (90%) than in adolescents and young adults (70%). Planned mop-up activities increased the coverage by 17%. The overall vaccine wastage was 11%. The cold chain was maintained and documented. 66 individuals reported of adverse events out of all vaccinees, where fever (21%), malaise (19%) and local redness (19%) were the major symptoms; no life-threatening event occurred. Three needle-sharp events were reported. CONCLUSION: The mass immunization proved feasible and safe, and vaccine coverage was high. Emphasis should be placed on: injection safety measures, community involvement and incorporation of mop-up strategies into any vaccination campaign. School-based and all-age Vi mass immunizations programs are potentially important public health strategies for prevention of typhoid fever in high-risk populations in southern China. (+info)
Smoking and the new health education in Britain 1950s-1970s.
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Advertising has a dual function for British public health. Control or prohibition of mass advertising detrimental to health is a central objective for public health in Britain. Use of mass advertising has also been a more general public health strategy, such as during the initial government responses to HIV/AIDS in the 1980s. We trace the initial significance of mass advertising in public health in Britain in the postwar decades up to the 1970s, identifying smoking as the key issue that helped to define this new approach. This approach drew from road safety and drink driving models, US advertising theory, relocation of health education within the central government, the arrival of mass consumption, and the rise of the "new public health" agenda. (+info)
Effects of antismoking advertising--based beliefs on adult smokers' consideration of quitting.
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OBJECTIVES: We examined whether specific antismoking advertising-based beliefs regarding the addictiveness of smoking, the dangers of environmental tobacco smoke, and the tobacco industry's use of deceptive advertising practices are associated with adult smokers' consideration of quitting. We also assessed whether interactions between such beliefs and having children living in the home were associated with consideration of quitting. METHODS: We used analyses of smokers' responses to a telephone survey conducted after completion of the Wisconsin Anti-Tobacco Media Campaign to test hypotheses associated with our study objectives. RESULTS: Results indicated that advertising-based beliefs regarding smoking addictiveness and the dangers of environmental tobacco smoke were associated with consideration of quitting. The findings also showed that consideration of quitting was positively affected by the interaction between number of children living at home and advertising-based beliefs about deceptive tobacco industry advertising practices designed to induce people to smoke. CONCLUSIONS: Creating advertisements that target specific antismoking beliefs may be the most effective approach to enhancing consideration of quitting among adult smokers, particularly those with children living at home. (+info)
An analysis of messages about tobacco in military installation newspapers.
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OBJECTIVES: We sought to gauge the relative attention that tobacco control receives in military newspapers by comparing coverage of tobacco use with that of other health topics of importance to the military. METHODS: We examined tobacco-related articles and industry advertisements in 793 newspapers published during 1 year at 16 representative military installations (4 Air Force, 6 Army, 2 Marine, 4 Navy). Newspaper content was coded with a standardized coding manual developed through previous research. RESULTS: Tobacco use received the fewest instances of coverage and the least print space in military installation newspapers of all the health topics examined. The primary "message frame" used in tobacco control articles was that smokers are putting themselves at health risk, a theme that has not been found to have a strong effect on smokers. Nearly 10% of the newspapers contained tobacco advertisements. CONCLUSIONS: Tobacco control messages are underrepresented in military installation newspapers compared with other health issues. Furthermore, military newspapers send mixed messages to military personnel by providing advertisements for tobacco while also claiming that tobacco use is harmful. (+info)
Promoting stair use: single versus multiple stair-riser messages.
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Message banners attached to stair risers produced a significant increase in pedestrian stair use, exceeding effects previously reported for conventional posters. Multiple instances of the same message banner, however, were as effective as banners featuring different messages. Therefore, greater visibility, rather than message variety, appears to account for the superiority of the banner format. Our findings indicate the feasibility of simple stair-use promotion campaigns based around the repetition of a single message. (+info)
Sun protection in Singapore's schools.
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INTRODUCTION: The World Health Organisation has identified schools as key players in the global effort to reduce the rising incidence of skin cancer. Singapore lies 70 miles from the Equator, with one of the world's highest ultraviolet (UV) index scores. It is a multi-ethnic society, with many expatriates. Children in Singapore are likely to be exposed to high levels of UV radiation, and represent a variety of skin types. This study aimed to assess sun protection measures in schools, the frequency of reported sunburn in schoolchildren of different ethnic groups, the level of parental and school concern about sun exposure, the sun-protective measures currently in place, and the parental and school support for public education and "sunsmart" school programmes. METHODS: Questionnaires were sent to principals and parents of primary schoolchildren in 20 local and eight international schools in January 2003. RESULTS: The majority of children in all ethnic groups in Singapore were reported to suffer to some degree from sunburn during their first ten years. Over 50 percent of parents and head teachers predicted an increased risk of skin cancer in their children. Some protective measures were in place. But teachers and parents were concerned, and most favoured the promotion of more active measures. CONCLUSION: The reported incidence of sunburn among Singaporean school children is higher than expected across all ethnic groups. Given the current level of sun protective measures in place, more could be done to educate parents and schools regarding "sunsmart practice", and reducing their future risk of skin cancer and eye damage. (+info)
The cost-effectiveness of 1% or less media campaigns promoting low-fat milk consumption.
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INTRODUCTION: The purpose of our study was to compare the cost-effectiveness of four strategies using components of 1% Or Less to promote population-based behavior change. 1% Or Less is a mass-media campaign that encourages switching from high-fat (whole or 2%) to low-fat (1% or skim) milk. Using a quasi-experimental design, campaigns were previously conducted in four West Virginia communities using different combinations of 1) paid advertising, 2) media relations, and 3) community-based educational activities. Telephone surveys and supermarket milk sales data were used to measure the campaigns' effectiveness. METHODS: Using data from the previously completed studies, we analyzed the cost of each campaign. We then calculated the cost per person exposed to the campaign and cost per person who switched from high- to low-fat milk. RESULTS: The combination of paid advertising and media relations was the most cost-effective campaign, with a cost of 0.57 dollars per person to elicit a switch from high- to low-fat milk, and the combination of media relations and community-based educational activities was the least cost-effective campaign, with a cost of 11.85 dollars per person to elicit a switch. CONCLUSION: Population-based campaigns using a combination of paid advertising and media relations strategies can be a cost-effective way to promote a behavior change in a community. (+info)
Combining in-school and community-based media efforts: reducing marijuana and alcohol uptake among younger adolescents.
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This study tests the impact of an in-school mediated communication campaign based on social marketing principles, in combination with a participatory, community-based media effort, on marijuana, alcohol and tobacco uptake among middle-school students. Eight media treatment and eight control communities throughout the US were randomly assigned to condition. Within both media treatment and media control communities, one school received a research-based prevention curriculum and one school did not, resulting in a crossed, split-plot design. Four waves of longitudinal data were collected over 2 years in each school and were analyzed using generalized linear mixed models to account for clustering effects. Youth in intervention communities (N = 4,216) showed fewer users at final post-test for marijuana [odds ratio (OR) = 0.50, P = 0.019], alcohol (OR = 0.40, P = 0.009) and cigarettes (OR = 0.49, P = 0.039), one-tailed. Growth trajectory results were significant for marijuana (P = 0.040), marginal for alcohol (P = 0.051) and non-significant for cigarettes (P = 0.114). Results suggest that an appropriately designed in-school and community-based media effort can reduce youth substance uptake. Effectiveness does not depend on the presence of an in-school prevention curriculum. (+info)