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‘Rethink Respite’ was a prospective, naturalistic cohort study conducted in the Illawarra-Shoalhaven (NSW, Australia) to improve knowledge, attitudes and uptake of respite strategies in carers of people with dementia. A convenience sample of n = 70 carers were recruited in 2014–15 to establish a baseline for knowledge, attitudes and use of respite for a cohort of carers in the region. Carer perceived need for respite, burden and self-efficacy were also assessed. A co-designed multi-component community-based intervention was subsequently rolled at in the region from 2015 to 2016. The intervention supported: awareness raising media; carer education sessions; access to web and print respite information resources; and an option to participate in a tailored one-on-one in-home coaching program. At program completion, a follow-up survey was administered to the cohort, with n = 44/70 responding. All n = 44 respondents reported participation in and exposure to ‘Rethink Respite’ media, information and education during the intervention period. Eighteen of the 44 also self-selected to receive the active tailored coaching support. At follow-up, few positive results were reported on the assessed carer variables for the cohort over time. However, post hoc sub-group analyses found those who also self-selected to receive active support (provided through coaching) (n = 18), showed improvements to their respite knowledge, attitudes and self-efficacy (p <.05). Intention to use respite, and levels of personal gain from caring in this sub-group also increased (p <.05). In contrast, carers who only participated in the informational/educational aspects of the program (and did not self-select to the respite coaching), experienced negative changes over time to their respite beliefs and ‘role captivity’. Overall, this pilot study suggests that passive respite information and educational strategies are insufficient, without more active supports (tailored respite coaching) to address observe

Background Research highlights the need for carers of people with dementia to acquire relevant and timely information to assist them to access appropriate respite services. Unfortunately, negative experiences of information-seeking can create additional stress for carers and contribute to delays in up-take, or not using respite services at all. Methods Cross-sectional survey data was collected from a convenience sample of n = 84 carers of older people with dementia living in the Illawarra-Shoalhaven region of NSW, Australia. We assessed knowledge, attitudes, information seeking behaviours, and unmet need for respite services in 2016, following national aged care reforms. Results Over the previous 12 months, 86% of carers sought respite service information. The majority (73%) of all carers reported an unmet need for respite services, and were relying on personal networks to provide support for respite information. Few utilised the new government gateway 'My Aged Care' phone line (11%) or website (25%). However, 35% used a pre-existing helpline to access short term or emergency respite. We found a preference for interpersonal information sources, including local doctor (65%), professionally and volunteer led carer support groups (49%), and family and friends (46%). Those using four or more information sources showed higher capacity to name local respite services. Respite service information seekers were more likely to be caring for someone with behavioural problems, to have received assistance to access services, and to have used respite services in the past 3 to 6 months. Conclusions New reforms in the Australian aged care sector have not adequately responded to the needs of carers of people with dementia for respite service information and support. Wider, community-based messaging promoting positive service options and the provision of active personal support is required to address the unmet need for respite in carers of people with dementia.

Low levels of public understanding can contribute to the fear, stigma and social exclusion associated with living with dementia. Dementia friendly communities aim to address this by empowering people with dementia and increasing their social inclusion. As a part of a Community Based Participatory Action Research (CBPAR) process, a multicomponent dementia friendly community intervention supported: research; the establishment of a Dementia Advisory Group and Alliance; an awareness campaign and education in community organisations. Educational events were co-designed and co-facilitated by people with dementia and their care partners. To assess project reach and changes in attitudes of community members, two cross sectional surveys were conducted with adults (aged over 18 years) using validated scales. Independent samples t-tests compared responses to the surveys prior to the commencement of the project (2014) and two years later (2016). In 2016, respondents showed increased agreement with the statements: 'People with dementia participate in a wide variety of activities and interests,' and, 'It is easy to find out about dementia friendly services or organisations in Kiama'. Respondents who attended an educational event reported less negative views about how they themselves would feel if they were diagnosed with dementia compared with respondents who did not attend an event. CBPAR appears useful to support the involvement of people with dementia and the engagement of the community to improve awareness of dementia services. The direct involvement of people living with dementia as spokespeople and educators was an effective way to improve positive attitudes and reduce the negative stereotypes associated with living with dementia. Further research is needed to compare different approaches to the creation of dementia friendly communities in different locations, and to establish the extent to which local interventions are useful to complement efforts to raise awareness of dem

There is a commonly held perception that the majority of Australian teenagers drink alcohol, and a perceived 'social norm' among teenagers that their peers are drinkers and expect them to be drinkers. However, results of the Australian Secondary Schools Alcohol and Drug (ASSAD) Survey, conducted every three years since 1984, show a decline in the proportion of teenagers who are regular drinkers; from 30% of 12-15 year olds in 1984 to 11% in 2011, and 50% of 16-17 years olds in 1984 down to 33% in 2011 (White & Bariola, 2012). The 'Alcohol and Social Norms Project' conducted in a municipal high school aims to correct misperceptions held by students and the school community regarding teenagers and alcohol and to foster an environment which supports young people's decisions not to drink. That is, this social norms campaign is based on the evidence that the harmful behaviour of underage drinking occurs far less than what most people believe; it is indeed these beliefs themselves which have been found to be the precursor to behavioural intention and behaviour (Azjen, 1981) which is the focus of this paper.

presented at the 30th International Conference of Alzheimer's Disease International, 15 - 18 April 2015, Perth, Australia

presented at be active 2014, 15-18 October 2014, National Convention Centre, Australian Capital Territory, Australia

presented at the International Social Marketing Conference 2014, 17-18 July 2014, Melbourne, Australia

Increasing competition for charity dollars has led many charities to reconsider their approach to fundraising. While donors are more likely to support charities they have a personal connection with, low psychological involvement with a charity influences the desire to switch. Local charities are commonly smaller and less resourced than state, national or international charities, but have the opportunity to increase and maintain donors by utilising strategies that increase community engagement. The current study, undertaken with people aged over 15 years in a regional area, found that most donors disliked guilt inducing techniques and telemarketing. Participants suggested more effective strategies including workplace giving, social media, local media partnerships and events that encourage community participation and connectedness. They preferred raising funds for discreet items and stressed the importance of regular communication with donors regarding positive achievements. The insights are useful for all charities in determining fundraising strategies and maintaining positive donor relationships.

The number of Australians over the age of 65 years is expected to double by 2021. Many older Australians suffer from one or more chronic diseases - including cancer, coronary heart disease, respiratory diseases (AIHW, 2009) resulting in increased morbidity and mortality, lower quality of life and a higher need for health care (Hickey and Stilwell, 1991). There is increasing evidence that the adoption of healthy lifestyles can have significant benefits even into older age (Haveman-Nies et al, 2002). This project utilized a social marketing framework to support aged residents of retirement homes to adopt healthy lifestyle behaviours to improve their health.

Purpose – In many countries there is emerging concern regarding alliances between the pharmaceutical industry and health non-profit organizations (NPOs), and the increase of co-sponsored marketing activities such as disease awareness advertising. The current study aims to explore Australian women's perceptions of disease awareness advertising with differing sponsors, to determine whether their attitudes towards the sponsor and their reported behavioural intentions differ as a function of the perceived sponsor or co-sponsor. Design/methodology/approach – Older women (aged 50+) were approached by mall-intercept method in a metropolitan area in New South Wales, Australia. Consenting participants were randomly assigned an advertisement with an NPO sponsor, pharmaceutical company sponsor, or a combination of the two (co-sponsored). Each participant viewed advertisements for two health conditions (fibromyalgia and osteopenia) with the same sponsor manipulation, and completed a one-page questionnaire after reading each advertisement. Findings – Participants had significantly more positive attitudes towards the NPO-sponsored advertisement than the pharmaceutical company-sponsored advertisement or the co-sponsored advertisement. Participants with more positive attitudes towards the sponsor were significantly more likely to report an intention to take action, such as to look for more information or to talk to their doctor. Practical implications – The results suggest that an NPO-sponsored advertisement promoting awareness about a disease or health condition is more effective without the co-sponsorship of a pharmaceutical company. Originality/value – This is the only identified research into attitudes towards sponsors of disease awareness advertising that considers pharmaceutical companies and health NPOs and is important, given the increasing trend of disease advertising and cause-related marketing in Australia and internationally.

As the Australian population ages, the incidence of dementia is rising in epidemic proportions, with serious implications for sufferers, carers and health services. There is a compelling need for effective early intervention and prevention strategies as well as models to guide knowledge translation to improve dementia prevention and care. The most modifiable risk factor for dementia is hypertension and treating hypertension in midlife is the most effective means of reducing dementia risk, yet public awareness of this is extremely low. The purpose of this pilot project was to plan, implement and evaluate a social marketing campaign to raise community awareness of the link between hypertension and dementia, and how to prevent, monitor and manage hypertension.

Background Direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of prescription medicines is prohibited in Australia, but pharmaceutical companies can provide information about the health condition for which they manufacture a prescription product – commonly referred to as disease awareness advertising (DAA). The pharmaceutical industry purports that DAA provides education regarding health conditions and different treatment options, and may encourage early diagnosis and treatment. However consumer and public health advocates are concerned that DAA has the potential to inflate the perceived prevalence of disease, increase consumer anxiety, and result in unnecessary visits to doctors. They believe it provides an indirect method of advertising prescription medicines to consumers, and has the potential to increase the uptake of newer medicines whose risk profiles are not fully understood. While studies overseas have demonstrated that DAA can increase consultations regarding the advertised disease, as well as prescriptions for the advertiser’s product, there has been no research conducted in Australia regarding DAA, or consumers’ attitudes toward this form of advertising. Method This research project examined recent cases of pharmaceutical industry-sponsored DAA in Australia, and undertook a content analysis of advertisements in popular women’s magazines. To determine how Australian consumers perceive DAA, and how this compared to their perceptions of DTCA, a survey was conducted using matched DAA and DTCA as stimuli. General attitudes to DAA were compared with results from a similar study conducted in New Zealand exploring attitudes to DTCA. Finally, an intercept survey explored attitudes of older Australian women towards hypothetical DAA for two health conditions. Sponsor logos and the amount of disease information were manipulated in the advertisement stimuli. Results Pharmaceutical companies use a range of persuasive techniques in DAA, and while the name of the product is not inclu

Objective: To examine the nature of disease awareness advertising (DAA). Design: Therapeutic advertisements in six popular Australian women’s magazines were monitored between April 2006 and March 2007. A subset of advertisements was included in the study based on criteria derived from a definition of DAA. Unique advertisements were analysed by four independent coders. Main outcome measures: Types of advertisements and their sponsors, the types of disease information present, and the persuasive techniques utilised. Results: Of 711 advertisements identified, 60 met the inclusion criteria for DAA, and 30 of these were unique. Over one-third of the advertisements were classified as “unbranded product advertisements”, which promote a product without referring directly to a brand. DAA sponsored by pharmaceutical companies most often provided treatment and prevalence information. Most (22/30) advertisements used emotional appeals; 15 of these used “happiness/healthiness/wellbeing”. Conclusions: The educational value of industry-sponsored DAA could be improved if regulations and guidelines stipulated disease information requirements, such as inclusion of risk-factor and symptom information. Regulators should provide guidelines for “unbranded product advertisements” and the acceptability of other persuasive techniques. Further research into DAA is required and should consider advertisements in a range of media, and behavioural responses.

Marketing partnerships between non-profit organisations (NPOs) and industry generally bring favourable results for both parties (Brønn and Vrioni 2001; Varadarajan and Menon 1988). However, there is some scepticism about corporate exploitation of such arrangements and growing concern in Australia and elsewhere about partnerships between the pharmaceutical industry and NPOs (Angell 2006; Moynihan and Cassels 2005) and the co-sponsorship of Disease Awareness Advertising (DAA). This paper reports the findings from a study of how Australian women respond to DAA with differing sponsors including their ability to identify, and their attitude toward, the sponsor. The results are of importance for health NPOs considering partnership with industry in an effort to promote awareness of a health condition.

In Australia, Direct to Consumer Advertising (DTCA) of prescription medicine is prohibited; however pharmaceutical companies can communicate directly with consumers via Disease Awareness Advertising (DAA). DAA can contain information about a disease including treatment information, but cannot mention the name of a particular product or brand. DAA is currently regulated by the industry body Medicines Australia (MA). In the current study, content analysis methodology was used to determine the extent and nature of DAA in popular Australian women’s magazines which were monitored for 12 months. Findings relating to the use of visual appeals in the imagery and rational appeals in the text are presented and discussed, along with advertisements found to be in breach of the MA Code of Conduct. Keywords: disease advertising, pharmaceutical, regulation, content analysis, DTCA

Introduction and Aims. With the headline 'Ecstasy Over The Counter' in a popular daily newspaper, the debate on drug policy officially entered the arena of the 2003 New South Wales (Australia) State Election. The debate resurfaced in the lead-up to the 2004 Australian Federal Election. This paper analyses the pre-election coverage of drug policy issues in four Australian newspapers. Design and Methods. Four high-circulation daily newspapers were monitored for a one-month period prior to both elections and analysed for their coverage of drug policy, particularly with respect to the policy of the Greens. Results. The newspapers took different perspectives on drug policy issues, with two framing it in emotive terms as a moral debate and two framing it as political manoeuvring. Discussion and Conclusion. The newspapers focused upon emotive and sensationalist factors. They did not provide their readers with information or a rationale for the formulation of drug policy, be this from a harm minimisation or zero tolerance perspective. [Jones SC, Hall D, Cowlin F. Newspaper coverage of drug policy: an analysis of pre-election reporting of the Greens' drug policy in Australia. Drug Alcohol Rev 2008;27:5 - 11] Keywords: drug policy; elections; harm minimisation; newspapers; public opinion

Over the past two decades there has been increased interest in corporate responsibility (CSR) and its relation to marketing practice and theory )Maignan and Ferrell, 2004: Polonsky and Jevons, 2006). This paper explores another marketing phenomena emerging from the pharmaceutical industry: condition branding (Angelmar, Angelmar and Kane, 2007: Parry, 2003). Condition branding has been positioned as a form of CSR for the industry, in that it provides education to the general public regarding diseases or conditions. However, the ethical nature of condition branding has been questioned as it is also seen as a deliberate method of increasing markets for pharmaceutical products. This paper raises concerns of consumers and regulators regarding condition branding and disease advertising, and suggests how these practices could be better regulated or modified to reflect the principles of CSR.

Introduction and Aims. Australia, like several other countries, has a self-regulatory approach to advertising. However, in recent years the effectiveness of the regulatory system has been questioned, and there have been increasing public calls for an overhaul of the system. Following a formal review in 2003, the Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy proposed a revised Alcoholic Beverages Advertising Code (ABAC), which came into operation in 2004. Design and Methods. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effectiveness of this revised system. From May 2004 until March 2005 television and magazine advertising campaigns were monitored for alcohol products. Over this period 14 complaints against alcohol advertisements were lodged with the self-regulatory board, and the authors recruited an independent expert panel to assess the advertisements and complaints. Results. In eight of the 14 cases a majority of the judges perceived the advertisement to be in breach of the code, and in no cases did a majority perceive no breach. Conversely, however, none of the complaints were upheld by the Advertising Standards Board (ASB) and only one by the ABAC Panel. Discussion and Conclusions. The results of this study suggest that the decisions made by the ASB in relation to complaints against alcohol advertisements are not in harmony with the judgement of independent experts, and that the ASB may not be performing an adequate job of representing community standards or protecting the community from offensive or inappropriate advertisements. Further, it appears that the revisions to the ABAC code, and associated processes, have not reduced the problems associated with alcohol advertising in Australia. [Jones SC, Hall D, Munro G. How effective is the revised regulatory code for alcohol advertising in Australia? Drug Alcohol Rev 2008;27:29 - 38] Keywords: alcohol advertising; complaints process; effectiveness; regulation

Earlier this year, two industry-sponsored advertising campaigns for cholesterol awareness that target the general public were launched in Australia.These campaigns aimed to alert the public to the risks associated with having high cholesterol end encouraged cholesterol testing for wider groups than those specified by the National Heart Foundation.General practitioners should be aware of the potential for the two campaigns to confuse the general public as to who should be tested, and where.The campaign sponsors (Unilever Australasia and Pfizer) each have the potential to benefit by increased market share for their products, and increased profits.These disease awareness campaigns are examples of what is increasingly being termed "condition branding" by pharmaceutical marketing experts.

This study aimed to elicit and compare the responses of Australian consumers towards New Zealand (NZ) direct-to-consumer-advertisements (DTCA) for prescription medicines and matched pharmaceutical company-sponsored advertisements from Australia. A survey questionnaire was mailed to a random sample or residents in a metropolitan area in NSW. Potential participants were randomized to receive one of four different advertisements: two for weight loss and two for Alzheimer's disease. A total of 413 responses were received and analyzed. Participants reported that they were not likely to ask for a prescription from their doctor as a result of seeing any of the advertisements in the study. The Australian disease awareness advertisement that did not refer to a medicinal treatment was perceived as more valuable than the NZ DTCA or other Australian advertisement. Overall, participants found it easier to make sense of the more informational advertisements, and felt that there was insufficient information regarding the disease/condition and treatments in the more emotive and transformational advertisements.

Brand development and brand management is complex in the pharmaceutical sector due to the specific nature of pharmaceutical products and their life-cycles as well as the regulation of promotional activity. The building of strong brands is becoming increasingly important for the industry, and consideration is being given to developing more expressive or emotional values of brands over traditional functional values and attributes. In Australia, brand-building activity for prescription pharmaceuticals primarily targets the medical profession in an effort to achieve brand recognition, brand preference and brand loyalty and, in turn, increase prescriptions. Despite direct-to-consumer-advertising of prescription pharmaceuticals not being allowed in Australia, there have been cases of unnamed product advertisements and disease awareness campaigns that serve to increase consumer awareness of brands. This paper provides a review of issues influencing brand building in the pharmaceutical sector as well as recent examples of brand-building activities that target Australian consumers.Keywords: disease awareness campaigns, direct-to-consumer advertising, brand, pharmaceutical, prescription medicines

For prescription pharmaceuticals, branding primarily targets the medical profession in an effort to achieve brand recognition, brand preference and brand loyalty and, in turn, increase prescriptions. Despite direct-to-consumer-advertising of prescription pharmaceuticals not being allowed in Australia, there have been cases of branding pharmaceutical products directly to consumers via “un-named” product promotion and disease awareness campaigns. The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of current pharmaceutical marketing strategies in Australia. It also considers branding issues facing pharmaceutical corporations including industry regulation of promotional activities, as well as suggesting future implications and opportunities for research.

"As a community ofprofessionals we have adopted no standards of ethics and it is probable that most of our community has not read or analysed the guidelines set up for either commercial advertising or commercial marketing" (Smith, 2001) Unfortunately, deciding what is ethical in social marketing (as in marketing in general) is rarely simple. In most cases, there is not a definitive right and wrong; for example, it is often the case that we are dealing with controversial products or sensitive behaviours (e.g., contraceptives and central practices) and/or two principles which are seen to be "right" by different groups are in conflict (e.g., pro-life versus pro-choice). Further, it is a well recognised fact in social marketing that what we are often dealing with is a trade-off between individual and community good (e.g., the right of the individual to smoke a cigarette, which is currently a legal product, versus the right of others to be protected from passive smoking).

Paper presented at the 5th International Conference on Drugs & Young People, AJC Convention Centre, Randwick, New South Wales, 24 - 26 May 2006.

This paper describes the initial steps in target market segmentation and evaluation as part of an industry-linked research project to develop a social marketing program for sun protection. The Project Reference Group developed a set of segmentation evaluation criteria based on recommendations from marketing and health promotion literature, as well as adding criteria specifically relevant to the industry partner. The process enabled an informed, representative and defensible selection of a primary target market as an initial starting point for further target market research and segmentation. It also demonstrated that bridging terminology from the fields of marketing and health promotion as well as including context-specific evaluation criteria can enhance target market segmentation in social marketing.