The Effect of HIV Public Health Marketing Campaigns on Linkage to Care: Can Advertisements Encourage Individuals to go to a Medical Clinic for HIV testing and/or HIV care?

BACKGROUND: In recent years, North Carolina has averaged approximately 1,400 - 1,500 new HIV reports annually and a majority of those new cases are among African-Americans. Approximately 30 percent of the individuals newly reported each year with HIV disease also represents new AIDS cases. This significant proportion of late diagnoses (i.e. AIDS) indicates the need for increased HIV testing, education and linkage to care in North Carolina. OBJECTIVE: This paper describes how HIV affects North Carolinians and examines the link between public health marketing campaigns and linking HIV positive patients to HIV care and treatment. METHOD: A public health marketing campaign that includes advertisements on television stations and specific web sites will be available at given times throughout the calendar year. The advertisements will include a specific call to action (either a web site address or phone number to get more information) which can be measured an evaluated to determine if the individual gets further information about getting tested for HIV and/or get into HIV care. RESULTS: A marketing campaign using television commercials was launched in June 2012. The television commercials aired during three separate time periods: June 2012 - August 2012, December 2012 - February 2012 and January 2013 - May 29, 2013. Results from that campaign showed that 54 individuals called to get more information on getting tested for HIV or getting into care for HIV. 32 of those individuals were linked to HIV care and medications. CONCLUSIONS: This campaign taught us valuable lessons, including the importance of using not only television, but expanding to the use of web sites. Many of the individuals that we want to reach use the internet as the primary means of getting information, meeting people and communication. The question then becomes, "Can advertisements encourage people to get tested for HIV or motivate them to get into care if they are HIV positive?"Master of Public Healt