Public Health
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
Benjamin Franklin
An independent study from the Kaiser Foundation and Texas Medical Association showed the Texas Tobacco Prevention Initiative (pilot program in Houston and East Texas for four EnviroMedia campaigns) reduced teen smoking by 36 percent, twice the reduction seen in the rest of the state where no initiative was in place. Studies point to cost savings as well. Texas Medicine magazine says based on the estimated cost savings in the pilot study, $21 was saved for every $1 invested. If Texas implemented that type of program statewide with the same results, nearly $1.4 billion in health care costs could be saved in five years.
People are crushed with marketing messages every day. It’s important to use creative public health media campaigns to remind people to “wash your hands” to avoid the flu, sign up for Medicare prescription drugs, get tested for HIV, and learn the “four D’s” to avoid West Nile virus. Providing the public with tips on how to improve their own health, and their children’s health, will reap huge public health and economic benefits.
Tobacco Prevention, Texas Department of State Health Services
The Texas Tobacco Settlement provided the State with an opportunity to
create a comprehensive tobacco prevention and cessation campaign. The
Texas Department of State Health Services asked EnviroMedia to provide
advertising and public relations for the landmark effort beginning in
the spring of 2000.
Since that time, EnviroMedia has built communication strategies for youth campaigns based on research that identified the misperceptions in attitudes that most frequently led to youth tobacco use. From these “myths” EnviroMedia developed two campaigns: one aimed at educating tweens about how nasty tobacco really is (DUCK’s “Tobacco is Foul” campaign) and one aimed at encouraging teens to questions for themselves whether the consequences of tobacco use are something they can live with (the Worth It? campaign).
Additionally, cutting-edge research has helped EnviroMedia develop other campaigns, including the “Yes You Can” cessation program, aimed at encouraging quit attempts among current smokers, and the “Share Air” campaign, which encourages everyone to assert their right to breathe clean, smoke-free air.
Results:
The campaigns’ results have been impressive. Yes You Can has helped
hundreds of thousands of Texans to quit. DUCK and Worth It? have led to
a combined 36 percent reduction in under-18 tobacco use where implemented.
This is on par with the nation’s famous Truth campaign.
Medicare Rx
In March 2005, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) partnered
with the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to address a
looming public health crisis. The new Medicare Part D Prescription Drug
Program set to go into effect January 1, 2006, meant drastic changes for
some 500,000 HHSC and DSHS Medicare and Medicaid clients. These vulnerable
Texans, most of whom live below the federal poverty level and are sick,
disabled and/or elderly, faced major changes regarding their critical prescription
drug benefits.
Our strategy was to take the most comprehensive public relations approach possible by maximizing the budget. Direct mail and postage comprised a huge portion of the budget; by leveraging savings from strong printer negotiations, we were able to add more deliverables. We would also reach out to caretakers and position the state as a helpful, trustworthy source of Medicare Part D information.
Results:
HHSC/DSHS’s objectives of providing its three primary target audiences
with educational tools were far surpassed with the execution of a comprehensive,
high quality, culturally competent public relations campaign. A side-by-side
comparison with the federally sponsored materials shows the user-friendliness
the HHSC/DSHS’s “Helping Texans Get It” materials. Texas
and its HHSC/DSHS partnership and public relations effort has also been
recognized as a model state program by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
Studies. Total campaign impressions through direct mail alone include
937,800 for full-duals, 490,000 for non-full duals, 144,000 for Kidney
Health Care patients, and 15,200 for pharmacists, for a total of 1.587
million.
Past and Current Clients (partial list):
American Cancer Society
American Lung Association of Texas
Austin/Travis County Health Department
Baylor College of Medicine
Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
Center for Safe Communities and Schools
Harris County Public Health and Education Services
insure•a•kid (Seton Healthcare Network/Michael and Susan Dell
Foundation)
Texas Access Alliance / Accenture
Texas Department of State Health Services
Texas Health and Human Services Commission