An independent evaluation of last year’s ‘How to Save a Life’ mass media campaign shows it had a positive impact on public awareness and on the supply of naloxone. Kirsten Horsburgh, CEO of Scottish Drugs Forum welcomed the findings, “Of course we were pleased when the campaign won an advertising industry award but this evaluation shows the real value and impact of the campaign. The findings show the immediate positive impact of 27,000 naloxone kits distributed via community methods during the campaign.
It is important to understand that many will have reached parts of the community that have not previously been reached in terms of naloxone supply. When naloxone kits reach the most marginalised people, are used in an emergency overdose situation and people are then re-supplied with naloxone, we see the potential for sustained impact initiated through the campaign. I am also pleased that the campaign was so widely recognised by the general public. Public awareness of the issue of drug-related deaths, but also that these are preventable and we can all do something to reduce them is crucial. We are in a public health emergency and public awareness and understanding is crucial.”
The two research papers which published the findings can be viewed below:
- National increase in the community supply of take‐home naloxone associated with a mass media campaign in Scotland: a segmented time series analysis
- How to save a life: Public awareness of a national mass media take home naloxone campaign, and effects of exposure to campaign components on overdose knowledge and responses.