A Proactive Rural/Regional Communications Campaign to Promote Help-Seeking Behaviour
Tracks
Ballroom 1
| Tuesday, October 16, 2018 |
| 4:30 PM - 5:00 PM |
Speaker
Ms Carolyn Loton
Director
Juntos Marketing
A Proactive Rural/Regional Communications Campaign to Promote Help-Seeking Behaviour
Abstracts
Aims and background
Within parts of the Murrumbidgee area, levels of self-harm and alcohol use requiring hospitalisation are significantly higher than national and NSW averages. Yet at a time of crisis, people surveyed (n=799) reported it can be difficult to know where and how to seek support.
To address this issue, Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network and Murrumbidgee Mental Health, Alcohol and Other Drugs Alliance engaged with the community to co-design an integrated communications/ marketing approach, with the aims of building awareness of after-hours crisis services, encouraging help-seeking behaviour and reducing stigma related to mental health, drug and alcohol concerns.
Methods
Four focus groups and 14 in-depth interviews were conducted with people with lived experience, carers, high-risk sub-groups and the broad population. These were supplemented with a stakeholder workshop and consumer advisory panel. The outcomes of the research were used to inform the design and development of the campaign, including tone, language and media strategy.
Results
Approximately 80% of the total Murrumbidgee population saw or experienced the after-hours awareness campaign on social media, television and/or radio over 13 weeks.
The campaign resulted in 66% increase in prompted awareness of phone-support services in the region (n=75) and 241% increase in unprompted awareness of the dedicated Murrumbidgee Accessline (n=75).
Conclusions and relevance
Well-planned, creative campaigns can effectively communicate important mental health messages with diverse groups across rural and regional settings.
The approach used in this project could be successfully adapted to other rural and regional health challenges.
Structured community engagement in co-design is very valuable component.
Social media should be considered to drive awareness and engagement.
Campaigns should include clear messaging, appropriate design and well-planned media strategies.
References
Murrumbidgee PHN. 2016. Murrumbidgee Mental Health, Suicide Prevention, and Alcohol and Other Drugs Needs Assessment.
iLink telephone survey, December 2017 and February 2018
Authors
Loton C1 (presenting author), Neal M2
1 Juntos Marketing, Camperdown NSW, Australia
2 Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network, Wagga Wagga NSW Australia
Within parts of the Murrumbidgee area, levels of self-harm and alcohol use requiring hospitalisation are significantly higher than national and NSW averages. Yet at a time of crisis, people surveyed (n=799) reported it can be difficult to know where and how to seek support.
To address this issue, Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network and Murrumbidgee Mental Health, Alcohol and Other Drugs Alliance engaged with the community to co-design an integrated communications/ marketing approach, with the aims of building awareness of after-hours crisis services, encouraging help-seeking behaviour and reducing stigma related to mental health, drug and alcohol concerns.
Methods
Four focus groups and 14 in-depth interviews were conducted with people with lived experience, carers, high-risk sub-groups and the broad population. These were supplemented with a stakeholder workshop and consumer advisory panel. The outcomes of the research were used to inform the design and development of the campaign, including tone, language and media strategy.
Results
Approximately 80% of the total Murrumbidgee population saw or experienced the after-hours awareness campaign on social media, television and/or radio over 13 weeks.
The campaign resulted in 66% increase in prompted awareness of phone-support services in the region (n=75) and 241% increase in unprompted awareness of the dedicated Murrumbidgee Accessline (n=75).
Conclusions and relevance
Well-planned, creative campaigns can effectively communicate important mental health messages with diverse groups across rural and regional settings.
The approach used in this project could be successfully adapted to other rural and regional health challenges.
Structured community engagement in co-design is very valuable component.
Social media should be considered to drive awareness and engagement.
Campaigns should include clear messaging, appropriate design and well-planned media strategies.
References
Murrumbidgee PHN. 2016. Murrumbidgee Mental Health, Suicide Prevention, and Alcohol and Other Drugs Needs Assessment.
iLink telephone survey, December 2017 and February 2018
Authors
Loton C1 (presenting author), Neal M2
1 Juntos Marketing, Camperdown NSW, Australia
2 Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network, Wagga Wagga NSW Australia
Biography
Originally an Occupational Therapist, Carolyn Loton has worked as a marketing specialist for over 20 years. In 2006 she founded the full service agency, Juntos Marketing, whose purpose is marketing for good - and whose focus is in health, health promotion and education. With a passion for communicating positive health and ageing messages more effectively, Carolyn strongly believes in the power of strategy, insights, creativity and professionalism as the foundations of effective marketing and communications. She holds a MBA from Edinburgh University, as well as a Diploma in Marketing and Bachelor of Applied Science.
Ms Janelle Dufty
Portfolio Manager
Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network
A Proactive Rural/Regional Communications Campaign to Promote Help-Seeking Behaviour
Abstracts
See Carolyn Loton
Biography
Janelle Dufty grew up in the Murrumbidgee region and has been a team member of Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network for the last five years. A self-proclaimed geek who loves statistics and the complexities of how our minds work, Janelle returned to the challenge of postgraduate study when her children started school. With a postgraduate degree in Psychology, Janelle has a keen interest in all things mental health and her role as a Mental Health Portfolio Manager with MPHN allows her the opportunity to help shape mental health services for the people of the Murrumbidgee region.
*Program is subject to change
