Executive Summary
1. In October 2005, the Scottish Executive's Office of Chief Researcher commissioned mruk research on behalf of the Marketing Unit to evaluate public awareness of a media campaign promoting the flu and pneumococcal vaccinations.
2. For a number of years, the Scottish Executive has been running an advertising campaign promoting the flu and pneumococcal vaccination. The two key target audiences for the campaign are those aged 65 years and over and those in 'at risk' groups. 1
3. An ad-hoc in-home methodology was adopted, with the focus for this most recent phase of research moving away from researching the two key target audiences and the general public, to solely focusing on the over 65's and 'at risk' groups.
4. A total of 400 in-home interviews were undertaken across Scotland, 200 with those aged over 65, with 200 separate interview with those self classifying as 'at risk'.
5. The level of spontaneous awareness of recent advertising or publicity concerning the flu was high for both core target audiences (84% over 65; 79% 'at risk') and the sample overall (81%). Amongst those who claimed to have seen or heard some advertising or publicity, advertising from TV was the predominant source recalled (85%).
6. Overall, more than two thirds of the total sample (69%) recalled at least one core advertising message spontaneously, with this rising to 83% when solely focussing on those who claimed to have seen / heard some advertising, indicating positive spontaneous level of recall for the campaign.
7. Verified awareness of the campaign (following prompted recognition with stills of campaign) was positive, with the campaign having reached almost nine in ten (89%) members of the target audience.
8. Awareness of 'Dr Chris Steele' as the character being used in the campaign was highest amongst females, and those who had received their vaccination at the time of interview. Overall, only a fifth did not recognise the character at all, with this being highest amongst younger audiences.
9. Overall, just over three quarters of the over 65 audience had received their vaccination for flu and / or pneumococcal at the time of interview, similar to the level achieved in the last wave of research (Wave 3). In comparison, 45% of the 'at risk' group at the time of interview had received their vaccination for flu and / or pneumococcal (lower than that achieved in Wave 3 - 56% uptake).
10. mruk research believe the fall in vaccination uptake amongst the 'at risk' group may be linked strongly to the timing of the research itself, with this most recent wave of research being undertaken in November 2005, versus the last wave of research being undertaken in January 2005, thus enabling a lengthier period of time for vaccination uptake last time round.
11. Of those having received their vaccination, more than nine in ten (92%) had seen some part of the campaign (compared to 85% of those who had not been vaccinated).
12. The main motivator to vaccination was direct contact from the GP Surgery itself, with 65% of those vaccinated citing a letter or telephone call of eligibility from their GP surgery as being the main motivating factor. However, current practice dictates that although all over 65's receive a standardised letter advising them of their eligibility to receive a vaccination, no such standardised approach exists for those in 'at risk' categories.
13. Such variation in appraoch is likely to be contributing to overall awareness and consequental uptake levels amongst 'at risk' groups, with almost four in ten (37%) of those in the 'at risk' groups who did not receive a vaccination citing a lack of awareness of eligibility as being the principle reason for non-uptake. Amongst those over 65, a perceived lack of need / want was driving non-uptake levels.
14. As a whole, attitudes towards the campaign, including perceived appropriateness and relevance amongst the target audiences were positive (87% of over 65's, compared to 74% of those 'at risk').