Diabetes PATHway

Social Marketing Campaign Proposal

Liz Anderson - Sara Gardella - Jim Woodend

BackgroundMichigan ranks 15th in the United States in terms of Type 2 diabetes prevalence (CDC).

Over 12 percent of adults in Michigan have diabetes, including around 4 percent who have yet to be diagnosed (MDCH).

Diabetes is ranked as the 6th leading cause of death for people in Michigan, accounting for 2,823 (3.3%) deaths in 2006 and was a contributing factor in another 5,812 deaths (MDCH).

Diabetes can lead to a myriad of complications including: heart disease, stroke, hypertension, kidney disease, visual impairment, dental disease, and limb amputations.

Background

Since there is no cure for diabetes, programs instead focus on personal management of the disease.

Through better self-management of the disease, health care expenses can go down, saving money for the patients and the State of Michigan.

The Michigan Department of Community Health already has an existing evidence based program called PATH (Personal Action Towards Health) targeting a variety of chronic diseases across Michigan.

Focus

Diabetes PATHway will be a focused social marketing effort to promote the PATH program specifically for those with Diabetes.

The campaign will be promoting a 6-week workshop with 2.5 hour sessions.

Each session will focus on self management skills.

Sessions are led by lay leaders who have chronic conditions, utilizing the “train the trainer” method that has shown to be successful.

Focus

The purpose of the program is to empower those with diabetes to take responsibility for their health.

The main focus is to teach them and their caretakers skills to better manage their health outcomes and improve their quality of life.

If successful, the implementation of a social marketing campaign will result in greater knowledge and utilization of this PATHway workshop as an important health resource.

S.W.O.T Analysis: Strengths

Framework already in existence across the State of Michigan.

Evidence based with proven benefits of sel-management programs.

High involvement in place with community partners and the state health department.

S.W.O.T Analysis: Weaknesses

Program still in infancy.

Lack of community awareness.

Lack of knowledge amongst health professionals who could play an important part with referrals.

Leaders from the PATH program must be cross-trained for the Diabetes specific workshop.

S.W.O.T. Analysis: Opportunity

As the program is new, there are opportunities for growth.

The program is evidence based.

There is a growing need for preventative healthcare and personal managment.

Great opportunity for a social marketing campaign to increase awareness of this needed resource.

S.W.O.T. Analysis: Threat

Michigan’s economic state.

Transportation costs to attend workshop.

Chronic disease in itself may cause issues with being able to attend the workshops.

State funding has decrease for the health department and partners.

As a result, the program will be challenging and innovative, low cost methods will have to be implemented.

Target Market Profile

In order to contribute to the campaign’s success, a target audience must be identified in order to design the campaign to meet their needs.

The campaign will be aimed at those who have been diagnosed with Diabetes (1 or 2) who are over 18 years of age.

The campaign will focus only on Michigan as the program is run by the state health department.

The campaign will also specifically target physicians and health professionals in Michigan in order to increase referrals and utilize their current connections with patients.

Objectives

Increase awareness of the program among patients with Diabetes through referrals from physicians after diagnosis.

Increase utilization of the program over the next 6 months among those diagnosed with diabetes.

Increase overall beliefs of the effectiveness of the Diabetes PATHways program

Goals

Goals have been quantified to allow for specific evaluation.

Increase utilization of the program over the next 6 months among those diagnosed by 25% through physician referral and awareness campaign.

Reach 150 physicians in the state of Michigan over the next 6 months to educate them about the program and give them brochures to give to their patients.

Perceived Barriers

Dealing with and maintaining the effects of Diabetes can be difficult.

Many people lack self efficacy in regards to self-care behaviors.

Some may lack the ability to attend the workshops.

Physicians may mistrust the program and instead prefer their own efforts rather than making referrals.

Physicians already inundate their patients with a large amount of information, and the referrals and resources may get lost in the high volume of information.

Benefits

Attractive desired behavior: Living a full, normal life, minimizing the ill-effects of diabetes.

Proper maintenance greatly minimizes the negative aspects that people fear when diagnosed.

Physicians will have an additional resource for their patients without having to put in extra time throughout their jam-packed schedules.

May eliminate costly office visits.

Competition

Other daily activities that will be disrupted by maintenance behaviors.

Want and need people may have to hide the disease or maintain “normal” life from pre-diagnosis

Physicians have many patients dealing with disease, and the busy nature of their day may stop them from taking time to explain the program to Diabetes patients.

Positioning

Main focus is for target audience to perform appropriate maintenance in order to achieve health benefits, so positioning will be benefits focused.

Emphasize that by taking these PATH steps, they will receive benefits but also eliminate negative aspects of the disease.

The campaign will show added benefits with group participation.

Marketing Mix: Product

Desired behavior: Personal Action Towards Health through Diabetes management.

Core Benefit: Positive health outcomes from proficiency in personal care and management.

Augmented Products: Workshop attendance, skill adherence, resource materials, “service” through social networking support.

Marketing Mix: Price

The goal of the campaigns marketing mix is to show that benefits outweigh the costs in participation.

Minimal fees for workshop attendacne.

Transportation cost, time and effort for attentedance.

Energy investment for skill adherence.

Personal nature of workshop may take participants out of “comfort zone”

Price incentives exist - less later healthcare costs and more severe health issues through self-care and prevention.

Marketing Mix: Place

Focus on getting the word out to those with Diabetes and healthcare professionals at places they already frequent.

Physician offices, pharmacies, health resource fairs, health professional conferences.

Workshop locations, Michigan PATH headquarters.

Online discussion boards.

Marketing Mix: Promotion

Messages with the meaning of the PATH acronym.

Snapshots of information available at workshops.

Marketing team members will communicate with physicians, urging them to refer patients to the program.

Messengers are PATH employees and physicians/health professionals who agree to distribute materials.

Channels will include partnership with MiPath and health professionals as well as social media channels.

Traditional print and commercial materials (brochures, posters, TV/Radio spots)

Evaluation: Purpose/Audience

Ability to increase awareness of the Diabetes PATHway program among target market and increase utilization over 6 months.

Examine whether the social marketing approach has increase belief in the program’s effectiveness.

Audience: Michigan patients over 18 diagnosed with Diabetes, specifically those referred to the program by physicians.

Evaluation: Output/Process

Feedback throughout implementation regarding campaign materials and activities for effectiveness.

Implementers meet with phsyicians to discuss referral process and evaluate impact.

Participant survey upon attendance to determine where they heard about the program to evaluate campaign reach.

Focus groups for qualitative feedback regarding social media and website usability and effectiveness.

Evaluation: Outcome

Pre and post test surveys with patients at local physicians to determine how many were utilizing the program and if use had increases.

Will also measure behavior change, administered at several points throughout the span of the workshop series.

Questions will also address patient beliefs in the programs effectiveness, and will also be administered to those who did not participate to evaluate their awareness and perceptions.

Sample Campaign Materials

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Diabetes-PATHway/120165001330358?ref=ts

http://twitter.com/DiabetesPATHway

References