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 diabetes on public knowledge of these symptoms.

DESIGN

Structured street interviews of members of the general public before, at the end of, and 10 weeks after a campaign advertising the main symptoms of diabetes.

SETTING

Basingstoke and Wolverhampton.

SUBJECTS: Three samples of 1000 members of the general public were interviewed. Samples were selected 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.

RESULTS

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 = 0.5169); lethargy, 180 v 373 (P < 0.0001) v 298 (P < 0.0001); knowledge of weight loss and visual disturbance was unaffected. The number of subjects lacking knowledge of any symptoms was reduced from 550 to 388 (P < 0.0001). The perceived seriousness of diabetes was unaffected (mean 7.6 in each phase on a scale of 1 (not) to 10 (very). Before advertising, 449 (45%) claimed to have one or more symptoms of diabetes, but this number fell at the end of the campaign (403; P = 0.0419) and 10 weeks afterwards (278; P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

An advertising campaign raised public knowledge of diabetes symptoms without inducing fear of diabetes or anxiety about symptoms. Its potential for achieving earlier detection of non-insulin dependent diabetes should be evaluated.