Results

Clackamas County Prenatal Care Awareness Campaign

Working with an advertising agency, The Ulum Group conducted a research-driven public service campaign to improve the rate of prenatal care among pregnant teenagers. After an extensive literature search, interviews with social service agencies and focus groups with teenagers, we concluded that appealing to the teens desire to have a healthy baby was our strongest message. Communications were printed in English and Spanish and distributed in places and through methods which increased their likelihood of being received by the target audience.

Findings from the research were released via a news release to Clackamas County and Portland media. Guest editorials and opinion pieces discussing the area’s prenatal care challenges and introducing the campaign were sent to key newspapers. Flyers were posted at grocery stores, schools, drug stores, recreation centers, fast food restaurants and were inserted into the Spanish language newspapers and posted on cable video bulletin boards. Women received a special T-shirt with the message “Safe & Sound,” for having participated in prenatal care during their pregnancy. The shirts have become a badge of honor with many Hispanic women and have gone a long way to promote the benefits of prenatal care. The grassroots efforts were reinforced by a broader based communications component. Radio and interior bus signs were the most effective choices to carry the prenatal care messages to the English and Spanish speaking community. All communications directed the target audience to a special phone line.

The eight-week campaign generated more than 150 calls with questions concerning prenatal care, up from virtually zero. Given that 180 women a year were estimated to receive inadequate prenatal care, this was considered a success. The campaign ended after eight weeks when funding ran out, and calls eventually stopped.

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