Download Key Findings from the UOW Cold and Flu Campaign

Key Findings from the UOW Cold and Flu Campaign
December 2011
In 2011 the University of Wollongong (UOW) funded the Centre for Health Initiatives
(CHI) to implement the UOW Cold and Flu Campaign; a campus based social
marketing intervention, to reduce the spread of cold and flu among the UOW
population. Implementation of the campaign occurred over a three month period
in the peak cold and flu season of 2011 (July to September 2011). A core element of
the campaign was a set of recommendations on behaviours that individuals can
adopt to reduce the spread of colds and flu on campus. These were: wash your
hands; cough and sneeze into your sleeve; and stay at home if you are sick.
The intervention was evaluated by comparing responses to a survey conducted
before (n=669) and after (n=1175) the campaign. The results of the evaluation show
that the campaign was highly visible, memorable and effective in changing
behaviours. The key findings are:
•
High recall of the UOW Cold and Flu Campaign (70.3% of students and 82.6% of
staff reported seeing the campaign messages, unprompted).
•
The proportion of staff and students who
reported that they ‘cough and sneeze into
your sleeve’ to reduce transmission
increased from 13% to 20%; and there was a
significant increase in beliefs that this was an
efficacious strategy to reduce their risk of
contracting or spreading colds and flu.
•
The proportion of staff who reported that they ‘stay at home if they are sick’
increased from 9.4% to 20.7%.
•
The majority of staff and students agreed or strongly agreed that the UOW Cold
and Flu Campaign shows that the University cares about their health (72.7%);
aligns with the values of the University (65.4%); and makes them feel supported in
their work or studies(51.4%).
Conclusion
The UOW Cold and Flu Campaign achieved substantial changes in infection control
attitudes and behaviours among staff and students, and is likely to have reduced
the frequency and duration of cold and flu infections on campus.
Centre for Health Initiatives, University of Wollongong
Phone: (02) 4221 5106
Email: [email protected]
http://www.uow.edu.au/health/chi