by Valentina Bazzarin
Co-authored with Pina Lalli
CHALLENGES IN INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATION, edited by M. Kefalaki & Y. Pasadeos, Athens, ATINER (Athens Institute for Education and Research), 2012, pp.81-95
Abstract:
This project consisted of a longitudinal scenario analysis of public health media... more
Abstract:
This project consisted of a longitudinal scenario analysis of public health media campaigns aimed at preventing AIDS transmission over the past 20 years. Using funding and data provided by the Ministry, we determined the types of messages conveyed in these campaigns, the dissemination of these messages, their priority in media coverage, and knowledge of HIV/AIDS risk in the public. Subsequently, we conducted a survey, also funded by the Italian Ministry of Health, to independently verify the social impact of one of these campaigns.
Our analysis shows that new cases of HIV/AIDS have decreased in Italy since the mid-nineties, and the advent of antiretroviral drugs has reduced AIDS-related deaths. Consequently, media attention has waned, as have educational campaigns aimed at sexually transmitted disease (STD) prevention, causing the rate of decline of HIV transmission to slow and transmission of other STDs to surge. Today, there are 120,000 people with HIV/AIDS living in Italy (mostly women and migrants), and 100 new cases are diagnosed each day. These data highlight the importance of returning the issue to the top of the public health and media agendas.
Results from the national survey (n=500, male and female respondents, 15-59 years old) showed that while the ministerial campaign examined effectively returned HIV/AIDS to the public spotlight and promoted condom use as prevention, it was not designed according to social marketing principles. It lacked a specific objective, clear target, effective language, a rational dissemination and integration strategy, and it overestimated current public awareness of the issue. This resulted in public misunderstanding regarding the source and purpose of the campaign and poor memorability of the message. This survey also showed a discrepancy between self-reported AIDS literacy and actual knowledge on the issue in the public.
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