Spreading the Word about Air Quality and Health:A public education program partnering with the medical community in Ventura County,California

摘要

Medical research demonstrates that exposure to air pollution causes or contributes to numerous ailments,particularly for children,seniors and anyone with asthma or other respiratory difficulties.By developing a summer awareness campaign in conjunction with the Ventura County Medical Society(local American Medical Association)the Air District built credibility into message points about air pollution and established an effective method of distribution through doctors' offices,hospitals and school medical offices.The campaign was launched in July 2002 with various phases continuing through September to heighten awareness during smog season.The campaign included several elements using county physicians(of mixed age,gender and ethnicity)as the central figures or"characters."Each physician had his/her own area of specialty and related message points(allergist,pulmonologist,pediatrician,etc.).The campaign consisted of a series of posters featuring the physicians.Campaign health messages stressed were ozone and asthma,the Air Quality Index,and particulates.Radio ads were produced in English and Spanish and ran six weeks.A supplement,featuring air quality and health information ran in the local paper on July 4.Approximately 4,000 posters and 165,000 supplements were distributed during the campaign.A news event was held at a hospital to kickoff the campaign with the doctors officially unveiling their posters and speaking to the media about air quality and health.To our knowledge,this campaign is the first of its kind;it can serve as a model for other agencies to develop similar programs with their local medical communities.