A Syphilis Elimination Media Campaign in Oklahoma County
Abstract

Background: In 2001, Oklahoma County ranked 12th nationally for new cases of primary and secondary syphilis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provided funding for expanding an ongoing syphilis elimination program with the introduction of a media campaign based on social marketing principles with the dual objectives of increasing testing for syphilis among at-risk groups, and decreasing incidence of syphilis in Oklahoma County. Campaign messages targeted high morbidity populations; namely, White, African American, and Latino heterosexuals aged 20-39, as well as inmates of the county jail.

Methods: Campaign messages addressed the consequences of untreated syphilis, access to local testing, and treatment. Messages were pretested and refined based on focus-group sessions with the target audience. Results from a media preferences survey and input from additional focus groups guided message placement, which included advertisements on radio, billboards, and bus shelters, and on materials distributed in bars and nightclubs.

Results: Compared to the same months during the previous year, the media campaign was associated with a 14-17% increase in STD clinic visits. The monthly average of syphilis diagnoses increased 18% from the previous year, and the average number of cases per month in the year after the media campaign ended decreased by 43%. Additionally, the campaign was associated with a high level of campaign recall (> 66%) in the target population.

Conclusion: The addition of a media campaign to an established syphilis elimination effort increased syphilis testing, diagnosis and treatment among recognized high-risk populations.