Communication Messages
In 2008 the NCSP and the Department of Health (DH) undertook research with young people under 25 and with screening professionals to inform the development of appropriate and compelling communication messages to support Programme Areas to drive the target audience towards chlamydia screening.
Communication Messages for young people under 25
The results from the research with young adults showed some good news! Among our target audience awareness of chlamydia as a problem is high and awareness that you can get a test for chlamydia is also high. However, there are still widespread misconceptions as to what the test will involve and there is also apathy among the audience.
Lessons from this research that can now be incorporated into your marketing and communication approaches as powerful messages are:
The research highlighted that each message (invisibility, seriousness, spreadability) on its own is easily disregarded. This is because one message on its own is insufficient to create personal relevance or concern; such is the desire amongst young people to distance themselves from the issue.
The research concluded that to create effective communication we need to have two clear strands in all messages, the first being to make the issue a personal one and the second to make screening normal for young people. Therefore, a combination of the above bullet points is required for your messages to gain the necessary impact.
Communication Messages for screening providers
This results from this research which was conducted with professional stakeholders who work either directly for the NCSP in Chlamydia Screening Offices (CSOs) as well as with screening providers looked at the following factors:
1) Motivations, experiences and issues amongst screening providers that are facilitating or inhibiting delivery of screening.
2) Perceptions and experiences of Chlamydia Screening Co-ordinators in terms of how these marry with the above, as well as their own needs and requirements.
Four clear needs across the providers of screening services from the CSOs and the NCSP were identified.
1) Greater contact and support from CSO
2) Training and Delivery Support
3) (Non-clinical) NCSP champion
4) National and Specific Communications
The DoH and NCSP have taken account of this research and are now in the process of developing support materials for CSOs to enable you to more effectively support frontline services in order to generate testing opportunities and to encourage more health professionals to register as screening venues.
In 2008 the NCSP and the Department of Health (DH) undertook research with young people under 25 and with screening professionals to inform the development of appropriate and compelling communication messages to support Programme Areas to drive the target audience towards chlamydia screening.
Communication Messages for young people under 25
The results from the research with young adults showed some good news! Among our target audience awareness of chlamydia as a problem is high and awareness that you can get a test for chlamydia is also high. However, there are still widespread misconceptions as to what the test will involve and there is also apathy among the audience.
Lessons from this research that can now be incorporated into your marketing and communication approaches as powerful messages are:
CHLAMYDIA IS INVISIBLE: the invisibility of chlamydia increases concern significantly and explains the need for testing.
CHLAMYDIA IS SERIOUS: can cause real damage that young people want to avoid - causing own infertility through ignoring risk is the core motivation. But this only becomes real when allied to invisibility and prevalence.
CHLAMYDIA IS EASILY SPREAD: a very powerful and impactful statement that makes young people sit up and think about their own risk.
The research highlighted that each message (invisibility, seriousness, spreadability) on its own is easily disregarded. This is because one message on its own is insufficient to create personal relevance or concern; such is the desire amongst young people to distance themselves from the issue.
The research concluded that to create effective communication we need to have two clear strands in all messages, the first being to make the issue a personal one and the second to make screening normal for young people. Therefore, a combination of the above bullet points is required for your messages to gain the necessary impact.
Communication Messages for screening providers
This results from this research which was conducted with professional stakeholders who work either directly for the NCSP in Chlamydia Screening Offices (CSOs) as well as with screening providers looked at the following factors:
1) Motivations, experiences and issues amongst screening providers that are facilitating or inhibiting delivery of screening.
2) Perceptions and experiences of Chlamydia Screening Co-ordinators in terms of how these marry with the above, as well as their own needs and requirements.
Four clear needs across the providers of screening services from the CSOs and the NCSP were identified.
1) Greater contact and support from CSO
2) Training and Delivery Support
3) (Non-clinical) NCSP champion
4) National and Specific Communications
The DoH and NCSP have taken account of this research and are now in the process of developing support materials for CSOs to enable you to more effectively support frontline services in order to generate testing opportunities and to encourage more health professionals to register as screening venues.
The National Chlamydia Screening Programme (NCSP) is a control and prevention programme targeted at the highest risk group for chlamydia infection in England, young people under 25 who are sexually active.
Chlamydia is often asymptomatic so a large proportion of cases remain undiagnosed, but infection can be diagnosed easily (young people can do the test themselves), and treated effectively.
To find your local Chlamydia Screening Office or to register with us enter your post code or select your region on the map
Chlamydia is often asymptomatic so a large proportion of cases remain undiagnosed, but infection can be diagnosed easily (young people can do the test themselves), and treated effectively.
To find your local Chlamydia Screening Office or to register with us enter your post code or select your region on the map
© 2010 National Chlamydia Screening Programme
