Challenges of early detection of oral cancer: raising awareness as a first step to successful campaigning.

In Germany, ~13 000 people are found to have oral and pharyngeal cancer every year. Awareness and knowledge about this cancer remain insufficient, particularly amongst elderly people. A campaign for early detection was launched in Northern Germany in April 2012. The first step of the campaign was to increase awareness about oral cancer. Prior to a pre-campaign evaluation at the campaign start, March 2012 and an intermediate-campaign evaluation, November 2012, a sample representative for the population aged 50 ≥years (target group; N=500) was drawn for a first process evaluation. The surveys were conducted by means of telephone interviews including questions on behaviour, knowledge and sociodemographic/ socioeconomic aspects and target group-oriented questions on issue, media and campaign material awareness. The process evaluation showed an increase in issue awareness from 25 to 40% (P < 0.001) and the media awareness increased by over 10% (P < 0.001). The results suggested that particularly women, the core age group (60-79 years) and the educationally disadvantaged group might benefit from the campaign. Awareness about the issue 'oral cancer' was already significantly increased 7 months after the campaign start. The highest general and media-related increase in awareness was achieved in the target group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]