A National Campaign to Increase Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Awareness in the United States

Background: Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a debilitating illness estimated to affect more than one million people in the U.S. Despite its prevalence, earlier studies showed fewer than twenty percent of U.S. CFS patients were properly diagnosed, and the healthcare provider community held a rather skeptical view of the illness.  In addition, the depth of understanding concerning CFS was limited among the public.

Program background:  In 2006, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in collaboration with the Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS) Association of America, initiated a national awareness campaign to impact consumer and healthcare provider knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs concerning CFS.  Primary target audiences included women between 34-60 years-of-age and healthcare professionals working in primary care settings. Key messages urged the public to become aware, and seek diagnosis and treatment if appropriate.  Campaign components included a series of integrated communication strategies involving formative research and message development, TV and radio PSAs, collateral materials, Web site, a launch event at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. that also included a video news release and satellite media tour, a traveling photo exhibit, earned media and paid advertising, and partnership development.

Evaluation Methods and Results:  The photo exhibit was displayed at 36 public venues and media markets across the country, along with nine national healthcare professional conferences, with foot traffic estimates in 2007-09 indicating 6,813,191 people were directly exposed to campaign messages.  Following the fall 2006 launch, tracking in mainstream and trade publications found the campaign generated excellent message coverage and pull-through, with 70-80% mentioning CDC and 60-66 % recognizing the CDC Director. Through December 2009, both TV PSA versions played 18,035 times on 368 stations in 207 markets, with over 132 million total viewer impressions at an estimated value of approximately $1 million. From early 2007 through the first half of 2008, the PSAs consistently ranked in either the top quarter or top two thirds of the approximately 500 campaigns tracked by Nielson.  Through December 2009, all versions of the radio PSA  aired 44,621 times for an audience impression total of over 278 million (estimated free air time was about $2.5 million). In 2006-07 the full-page print ad ran 14 times in three female-oriented national magazines for a combined reach of 328+ million reader impressions. The total reach of the consumer paid online banner ads was 15.6 million impressions. Additionally, approximately  300,000 hard and downloaded copies of the collateral materials were disseminated.

Conclusions:  Although not sensitive enough to determine campaign effects, over the first few years of the communication effort, surveys conducted by Porter Novelli revealed relatively high levels of awareness of CFS among public and healthcare professional subgroups, as well as positive attitudes to diagnosis and disease management. However, sources of CFS information differed between consumers and healthcare professionals.

Implications for research and/or practice: The results of this campaign demonstrate how conducting a multi-channel communication effort can impact the awareness and attitudes of both public and professional audiences.