title: Using social marketing to increase awareness of the African American infant mortality disparity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  African American infants in San Francisco suffer a mortality rate two to three times higher than Whites, yet prior discussion groups with African American residents suggested they were unaware of this disparity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Social marketing techniques were used to develop and implement three campaigns to increase awareness. The campaign themes were (1) infant mortality disparities, (2) proper infant sleep position, and (3) taking action to reduce disparities. Mediums to carry messages included bus ads, radio ads, church fans, and posters and cards distributed at clinics, daycares, agency waiting rooms, and community organizations. Campaign effectiveness was evaluated using telephone surveys of African Americans.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Almost 62% report some exposure to Campaign 1, 48.5% to Campaign 2, and 48.9% to Campaign 3. Chi-square analyses reveal a statistically ignificant increase in awareness of the disparity (39.6% vs. 62.7%, p < .0005, odds ratio [OR] = 2.5, confidence interval [CI] = 2.1-3.2). Although there was no overall significant increase in knowledge about proper sleep position, respondents who report any exposure to this campaign are more likely to know about sleep position (70.7% vs. 63.8%, p < .0001, OR = 2.2, CI = 1.6-3.2).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Social marketing is an effective tool to increase disparity awareness, especially among groups disproportionately affected by the disparity.
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rienks
authors.forename: Geraldine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Oliva
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D001364:Awareness; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012495:San Francisco / Q000453:epidemiology; D040241:Social Marketing; D013398:Sudden Infant Death / Q000517:prevention & control; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013689:Telephone