Sexually Transmitted Diseases  >  Syphilis Elimination Effort (SEE)  >  National Plan

Communication Plan

D. Cross-Cutting Tactic

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The following tactic applies to each of the three target audiences.

Tactic D: Develop and implement a national media plan with appropriate national spokespersons.

NCHSTP OC will develop and implement a national media strategy. The overarching goal will be to raise national and local awareness (in areas targeted for elimination) of the ongoing toll of syphilis and to create support for elimination efforts. The press coverage can help place the syphilis elimination issue in the larger social context. Approaches will include:

• Identify key program messages. Messages will be created that will carry through the life of the program.
• Identify and train CDC and third-party spokespersons. In conjunction with national news releases, appropriate spokespersons from NCHSTP and from state and local elimination efforts, as well as key partners in outreach efforts, will be identified and promoted as spokespersons. For example, if a specific news release focuses on the impact of syphilis on African American populations, spokespersons could include key members of NAACP, Urban League, and other African American issue groups.

  Key policymakers from affected states will be recruited to become third-party spokespersons. They can be useful by putting their byline on op-eds or by co-authoring op-eds with CDC.

• Develop an annual list of key MMWR and medical journal publications. Working with internal and external partners, develop a yearly calendar of key articles to publish in MMWR and appropriate medical journals that provide information on topics and issues important to achieving syphilis elimination.
• Create sustained media outreach. Working with national and local program staff, a calendar of newsworthy publications and events will be developed. Publications and other "news pegs" will be developed and prioritized based on their ability to focus attention on specific problems and/or solutions that must be addressed to achieve communication objectives. The calendar will include scheduled or possible data releases, journal articles, conference abstracts, program milestones, grant awards, and other events of media interest. Media outreach will focus on major national print, electronic, and new media outlets; regional and local outlets in affected areas; African American and Latino media and gay media; and HIV/AIDS media outlets.
• Develop features. Opportunities for highlighting local success stories, milestones reached, or outbreak response systems will be examined, as well as how these efforts affect real people and how they can help stop the spread of syphilis.
• Respond to outbreaks. CDC will explore how local outbreaks can be used to support local and national communication objectives. The outbreak response protocol will include the mechanism to get information about the outbreak from local health jurisdictions, and then how to pass it to other (particularly neighboring jurisdictions). This information will also be funneled to partners, policymakers, community groups, and community-based organizations. Evaluation components built into the outbreak response mechanism will assess the effectiveness of the communication strategy.
• Conduct editorial board meetings. After media materials clearly describing current needs, programs, and gaps are developed, editorial board interviews with key national and local outlets will take place.
• Develop matte articles/op-eds. In conjunction with key news releases and matte articles, opinion editorials by CDC and third-party spokespersons will be utilized to extend the impact and reach of news media messages. They will be distributed to partner groups, with recommendations for potential placement venues (e.g., partner newsletters).
• Develop media materials. Using the materials from the Fall 1999 launch as the starting point, a comprehensive media kit will be developed that includes: talking points, sample op-eds, letter-to-the-editor templates, press releases, state-by-state fact sheets, and templates for holding community events.
• Use media strategically. Pursue media advocacy (e.g., success stories to share with national organizations such as the American Social Health Association, and Family Health International). Create a mechanism to rapidly disseminate just-released studies with accompanying op-eds, and messages about how the information can be used in local efforts. The key is getting the information out quickly with specific information on why it is relevant to the audience. Include clear instructions on what to do with the information.
• Train key representatives of the three target audiences in media relations and advocacy. Training sessions will include presentations on best practices and success stories. 

E. Evaluation of the Communication Plan       Back to Table of Contents

Evaluation of these efforts will not only inform future phases of the program, but will inform other public health and STD focused communication endeavors. Both process and outcome evaluation must be woven into program planning from the outset. The process evaluation tells why the program did or did not accomplish the objectives; the outcome evaluation examines whether the plan met its objectives.

A process evaluation will track how, and how well, the plan is working. It will track work performed, timeline progress, and resource expenditures, as well as participation from partners. Results of the process evaluation will allow program implementors to assess whether activities are on track; whether the target audiences are being reached; whether some strategies are more successful than others; and if some aspects of the program should be re-evaluated. Process measures must conform to the tactics in the communication plan. For example, when a tool kit is developed, a process evaluation will examine the type and number of kits developed, and the venues where kits are disseminated. Progress reports must be scheduled at regular intervals to help keep the plan on target.

To gain a more complete picture of the campaign's accomplishments, an outcome evaluation will accompany the process evaluation. It is important to examine what is expected of the outcome evaluation at the outset of the program. For example, to assess changes in target groups' syphilis-related attitudes, awareness, or practices, information may need to be collected prior to implementation of the communication plan. The evaluation results will be compiled into a lessons learned document that will inform further efforts of this and other campaigns.

Ideally, evaluation findings will be fed into the program so it is improved on an ongoing basis. Evaluation will allow staff to: reassess goals and objectives based on any changes that have occurred, determine areas where additional effort is needed, identify effective activities or strategies, compare costs and results of different tactics and activities, and reaffirm support for the program. A final evaluation report will be important, because of the opportunity for others to learn from this effort. 

Appendix 1: Communication Plan Implementation       Back to Table of Contents

The focus of Phase 1 of the communication plan will be on the creation of the plan infrastructure. Materials will be developed so that members of the syphilis elimination team can stay abreast of all activities, with the director of the communication effort coordinating forward momentum. Implementation needs to become a turnkey operation so that internal communication happens seamlessly.

Implementation plans should be completed for all strategies and tactics, and should be tracked on a GANTT chart that can reflect any changes in the schedule. Systems to record and track diffusion activities should be put in place. Adding structure and developing systems for activities already underway is vital in ensuring that everyone is clear about responsibilities, schedules, and formats for each plan activity. Substantial work should be completed on any identified research needs as early as possible. A quarterly report could be created to share with external partners, and can chronicle the successes in the field, and increase syphilis elimination plan visibility.