EFFECT OF ADVERTISING ON AWARENESS OF SYMPTOMS OF DIABETES AMONG THE GENERAL PUBLIC - THE BRITISH-DIABETIC-ASSOCIATION STUDY

Objective-To determine the impact of posters advertising symptoms of d iabetes on public knowledge of these symptoms. Design-Structured stree t interviews of members of the general public before, at the end of, a nd 10 weeks after a campaign advertising the main symptoms of diabetes . Setting-Basingstoke and Wolverhampton. Subjects-Three samples of 100 0 members of the general public were interviewed. Samples were selecte d randomly but stratified to match the local population's age (20-75), sex, social class, and racial characteristics. Main outcome measures- Knowledge of symptoms of diabetes; perceived seriousness of diabetes; and induction of anxiety about symptoms in the target population. Resu lts-Advertising significantly raised knowledge (without prompting) of symptoms: thirst, 245 before v 411 at end of campaign (P<0.0001) v 341 after (P=0.0012 v before); polyuria, 72 v 101 (P=0.0211) v 92 (P=0.51 69); lethargy,; 180 v 373 (P<0.0001) v 298 (P<0.0001); knowledge of we ight loss and visual disturbance was unaffected. The number of subject s lacking knowledge of any symptoms was reduced from 550 to 388 (P<0.0 001). The perceived seriousness of diabetes was unaffected (mean 7.6 i n each phase on a scale of 1 (not) to 10 (very). Before advertising, 4 49 (45%) claimed to have one or more symptoms of diabetes, but this nu mber fell at the end of the campaign (403; P=0.0419) and 10 weeks afte rwards (278; P<0.0001). Conclusions-An advertising campaign raised pub lic knowledge of diabetes symptoms without inducing fear of diabetes o r anxiety about symptoms. Its potential for achieving earlier detectio n of noninsulin dependent diabetes should be evaluated.