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Case study: Encouraging effective pain management

GCI Health's campaign on behalf of the American Pain Foundation and Endo Pharmaceuticals helped Hispanic Americans to communicate their pain

Published: 02 Mar 2012

The brochure helped Hispanic Americans communicate their pain.

Client: American Pain Foundation, Endo Pharmaceuticals

Agency: GCI Health

Campaign: Explain Your Pain

Timescale: June 2011 to present

A quick look

Breaking down the barriers that sometimes separate Hispanic Americans from treatment and effective pain management was the focus of the ‘Explain Your Pain’ initiative, from the American Pain Foundation and Endo Pharmaceuticals. This bilingual campaign responded to a growing body of research that Hispanic Americans, due to language or cultural beliefs, were not having their chronic pain addressed or treated by healthcare providers. In select markets, ‘Explain Your Pain’ tapped culturally savvy healthcare providers to assist with aggressive media outreach, and distributed Spanish and English language tools offering insight on how these chronic pain sufferers could best connect with physicians.

Challenge

GCI Health was tasked with developing a multicultural program to address the language and cultural beliefs that were preventing Hispanic Americans from chronic pain treatment and management. The compelling research that sparked this campaign showed that Hispanic Americans, along with other minority groups, grappled with more severe pain, before contacting a healthcare professional, than other patient groups. Language was noted as a key inhibitor to treatment. To improve dialog with physicians, GCI Health would create additional resources in both Spanish and English to increase awareness of safe and available healthcare solutions.

Solution

GCI Health developed an educational brochure in English and Spanish to help Hispanic Americans communicate how their pain feels, where it hurts and how often the pain occurs. Available in print and online, this resource outlined how to ‘explain your pain’ and receive the best treatment option available. Media outreach was tailored to Spanish-speaking patients in Chicago, Miami, New York and Los Angeles with in-market, Spanish-speaking physicians, serving as spokespeople. Also, target audiences were directed to an informative website to learn more about pain management and treatment options.

Results

This bilingual campaign increased awareness of how Spanish-speaking patients can engage in more effective dialog with their physicians. GCI Health closely tailored its outreach to its chosen target markets. With a circulation of over 120,000, the Explain Your Pain brochure was distributed to local physician’s offices by Endo Pharmaceuticals. Total audience reach was 158,089,555 with 1,198 total airings and press release pick-ups from television, radio and online. Thirty television and radio interviews were facilitated including CNN en Español airing in 16 of the top 20 U.S. Hispanic markets, as well as INN en Español delivering 24-hour world and national news.

Client verdict

Feedback from the American Pain Foundation and Endo Pharmaceuticals is positive, with ongoing support of this initiative. Endo Pharmaceuticals representatives continue to provide the Explain Your Pain brochure on visits to physicians, and build on the ongoing conversation. Local spokespeople also continue to share our print and digital resources to address this important issue.