Thunder and Lightning and Rain: a Latino/Hispanic diabetes media awareness campaign.
The prevalence rates of diabetes in communities of color are higher than in Caucasian populations. Social marketing can be an effective approach to educating communities and encouraging visits to health care providers. This article describes Thunder and Lightning and Rain, a diabetes media awareness campaign implemented in a 5-county area in central Washington State with a large Latino/Hispanic population. The Washington State Department of Health's Diabetes Prevention and Control Program, along with national and community partners and focus groups, used a social marketing model to reach those with uncontrolled diabetes. A telephone survey-based evaluation, conducted in Spanish, provided data on demographics, media access, calls to a toll-free information line, provider visits, and recall of the campaign's central message: "Control your diabetes. For Life."
Almendarez
Isabel S
IS
Diabetes Prevention and Control Program, Washington State Department of Health, PO Box 47836, Olympia, WA, USA. isabel.almendarez@doh.wa.gov
Boysun
Michael
M
Clark
Kathleen
K
D000328:Adult; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008402:Mass Media; D008875:Middle Aged; D011314:Preventive Health Services; D015397:Program Evaluation; D040241:Social Marketing; D013689:Telephone; D014861:Washington / Q000453:epidemiology