Evaluation of a mass-media campaign for the primary prevention of alcohol-related problems

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Abstract
A quasi-experimental design was used to evaluate an alcohol-related problem prevention programme. The study compared two cities exposed to a mass-media campaign with two cities which received the same mass-media campaign and also participated in community organization. Two comparable reference cities received no intervention programme. The objectives of the community organization campaign included an increase in support for alcohol policies and the mass-media campaign aimed to change attitudes about alcohol use. A process evaluation illustrated the difficulties a problem-prevention programme such as this is likely to encounter. Vested interest groups involved in the production, sale and promotion of alcohol had a significant adverse effect on the running of the campaign. The process evaluation also documented that the way in which a public health agency chooses to manage controversies is an integral part of the health promotion campaign. Attitudes towards alcohol use were affected by the mass-media campaign but the combined approach of mass-media and community action showed a slightly greater impact. The mass-media campaign also had an effect on public support for alcohol policies even though this was not the target of the campaign. Over all, the results suggest that the mass-media campaign, despite having a focus on individual drinking behaviour, served the function of keeping alcohol problems on the public agenda and maintaining support for healthy public policies.

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