Effect of advertising on awareness of symptoms of diabetes among the general public: the British Diabetic Association Study

Abstract

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.