The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #59115

Sheela Basrur, MD, Toronto Public Health, 277 Victoria Street, 5th Floor, Toronto, ON M5B 1W2, Canada, 416-338-7820, sbasrur@toronto.ca and Barbara Macpherson, BScN, Planning and Policy, Toronto Public Health, 175 Memorial Park Ave, Toronto, ON M4J 1J4, Canada.

Toronto Public Health (TPH) in collaboration with several community agency partners that provide services to women at high risk for unplanned pregnancy/ STD/HIV, designed and implemented a social marketing campaign to create awareness of the female condom as a barrier option. The social marketing campaign was one component of a research project that included an evaluation of an educational intervention on the factors associated with initial and continued use of the female condom.

This presentation will address the following: · How and why this project was initiated. · Intended (or targeted) population. · Components of the project. · Role of community agencies in the project. · Challenges and advantages inherent in the collaboration between a traditionalist public health agency and liberal community agencies.

In addition this presentation will describe the social marketing campaign “Give Your Vagina a Choice”, showing the: · Methods used for designing, focus testing, and distribution of the poster and pamphlet to the intended population. · Evaluation of the social marketing campaign, as well as the response we received from local, national and international media outlets.

Conclusion: This presentation will describe how Toronto Public Health combined research, community development and practice skills to design and implement a social marketing campaign to create awareness of the female condom as a barrier option. The social marketing campaign was one component of a larger health promotion research project.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of the session participants will be able to:
• Develop strategies that can facilitate partnerships between community agencies and health units to address community needs.
• Identify the role social marketing plays in health promotion.
• Learn how research methodologies are used in real life situations to support the development of a health promotion program.

Keywords: STD Prevention, Social Marketing

Related Web page: www.toronto.ca/health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Toronto Public Health developed a social marketing campaign to promote the awareness of the female condom. The only female condom available in Canada is the Reality Condom, distributed by the Female Health Company.
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.