Government support andmass communications: Learning from our Experience Presentation by Fiona LynchM

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Government support and mass communicationsLearni
ng from our ExperiencePresentation by Fiona
Lynch-MagorAssistant SecretaryOffice for an
Ageing AustraliaAustralian Government Department
of Health and Ageing
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Promotion of eye health through

• Government support overview of Australian
  Health System
• Mass communications case study of Australias
  National Tobacco Campaign

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Australias health system

• Federal Government funds medical (GPs and
  specialists), pharmaceutical and hospital
  services, health promotion and disease prevention
  activities
• State Governments deliver services in public
  hospitals, to those in need (eg. smoking
  cessation services, subsidised spectacles
  schemes)
• Non-government sector provide community-based
  services complementary to those provided by the
  government sector (eg. Macular Degeneration
  Foundation provides community education/informatio
  n on the condition and available treatments).

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Development of the National Framework for
Action to Promote Eye Health and Prevent
Avoidable Blindness and Vision Loss
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• Sponsorship of World Health Assembly Resolution
• Wide consultation with Eye Health Sector and
  State Governments
• Funding for National Eye Health Initiative
  announced in Federal Budget.

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National Tobacco Strategy

• Smoking is the single greatest preventable cause
  of premature death and disease in developed
  countries
• The reduction in smoking rates over post-war
  years stalled in the early 1990s at 27 of men
  and 23 of women
• Australian daily smoking rates for smokers aged
  over 15 years have fallen from 19.5 in 2001 to
  17.7 in 2004.

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(No Transcript)
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Reductions are due to a co-operative government
and non government sector response through the
National Tobacco Strategy which aims

• To prevent smoking uptake
• To encourage and assist smokers to quit
• To eliminate harmful exposure to tobacco smoke
• To reduce the harm associated with continuing use
  of tobacco.

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Government initiatives

• Taxation to discourage smoking, particularly by
  young people
• Health warnings on tobacco packets (example
  available for examination)
• Banning tobacco advertising in all forms of
  media
• Banning tobacco sponsorship of sporting and
  cultural activities
• Banning smoking in enclosed public places
• Anti-smoking campaigns (particularly National
  Tobacco Campaign).

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National Tobacco CampaignAims to personalise
the risks of smoking under the catch-cry of
Every cigarette is doing you damage
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Campaign elements

• Television, radio, print and outdoor advertising
• Public relations activity and promotions
• Non-English strategy
• Service provider strategy
• Campaign website (www.quitnow.info.au)

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Advertisements

• 1997 artery, lung and tumour
• 1998 brain and a smoker calling a Quitline
• 2000 lung, eye.

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Why Macular Degeneration?

• Macular degeneration is the leading cause of
  blindness in Australia and smoking is the major
  preventable cause of this condition
• Fear of blindness
• Need for a fresh message, particularly for
  younger people.

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Impacts of the Campaign

• Calls to Quitlines increased
• Target population related to messages
• Target population believed messages
• Smoking prevalence rates declined.

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BUT30 of smokers do not believe or do not
know that smoking causes eye damage.
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National Tobacco Strategy and National Tobacco
Campaign Lessons

• Social marketing campaigns require thorough
  planning, analysis, research and evaluation
• Funding commitment needs to be sustained

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Health promotion policy combines diverse but
complementary approaches including legislation,
fiscal measures, taxation and organizational
change. It is coordinated action that leads to
health, income and social policies that foster
greater equity. Joint action contributes to
ensuring safer and healthier goods and services,
healthier public services, and cleaner, more
enjoyable environments.Ottawa Charter for
Health Promotion, 1986

• Process needs to be integrated and coordinated