Effectiveness of a Mass Media Campaign in Promoting HIV Testing Information Seeking Among African American Women

Abstract

“Take Charge. Take the Test.” (TCTT), a media campaign promoting HIV testing among African American women, was piloted in Cleveland and Philadelphia from October 2006 to October 2007. This study assesses TCTT's effectiveness in promoting HIV testing information seeking among target audiences in each pilot city. The authors analyzed data on telephone hotlines promoted by the campaign and the www.hivtest.org Web site to examine trends in hotline calls and testing location searches before, during, and after the campaign. Cleveland hotline data were available from October 1, 2005, through February 28, 2008, for a total of 29 months (N = 126 weeks). Philadelphia hotline data were available from May 1, 2006, through February 28, 2008, for a total of 22 months (N = 96 weeks). The authors assessed the relation between market-level measures of the campaign's advertising activities and trends in hotline call volume and testing location searches. They found a significant relation between measures of TCTT advertising and hotline calls. Specifically, they found that increases in advertising gross ratings points were associated with increases in call volume, controlling for caller demographics and geographic location. The campaign had similar effects on HIV testing location searches. Overall, it appears the campaign generated significant increases in HIV information seeking. Results are consistent with other studies that have evaluated the effects of media campaigns on similar forms of information seeking. This study illustrates useful methods for evaluating campaign effects on information seeking with data on media implementation, hotline calls, and zip code–based searches for testing locations.

Acknowledgments

This study was funded by contract number 200-2006-F-18532 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The authors acknowledge study team members Shelly Spoeth, Jennie Johnston, and Laura McElroy for their contributions to the development and implementation of the study. The findings and views in this study are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Notes

TCTT = Take Charge. Take the Test.

TCTT = Take Charge. Take the Test. Ordinary least squares regression coefficients are unstandardized.

*p < .05. **p < .01. ***p < .001.