Summary
Know Your Risk is Diabetes UK's national multi channel campaign to raise awareness of type 2 diabetes and its risk factors. At its centre is the Know Your Risk questionnaire, a validated risk assessment tool developed in partnership with the University of Leicester and University of Leicester NHS Trust. The Know Your Risk campaign encourages people to use the tool to find out their risk of type 2 diabetes and what to do next – reaching thousands of people every year who go on to receive support to reduce their risk. The approach combines targeted community outreach activity via a roadshow, alongside digital and printed resources to help people understand more about their risk and what they can do to reduce it. Those in the highest risk communities are encouraged to take steps on their diet, levels of physical activity and to visit their GP.
Results
Average number of users per month completing the online tool increased by 10% following the changes and users spent 73% more time on the page. Following a Facebook ad campaign in late 2015, there were 99,364 completions of the tool in the fi rst four months of 2016, a 28% increase on the same four months in 2015 (77,748). Use of the app at roadshow events has enabled more people to have a consultation and fi nd out their risk by making the process more effi cient. The 15,000+ visitors to the roadshow in 2015 all commenced their follow up journey within days of their consultation, compared to an average of four weeks before the development work. There was a 13% increase in the information take home from roadshow events. In total, around 280,000 people were helped fi nd out their risk - of these, 44% were in a high or moderate risk category and were referred to their GP. 73% of those referred to their GP from a roadshow visited for follow up tests, enabling them to access support on their risk (and in some cases receiving a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes). 53% of roadshow visitors reported a change to their diet and/or levels of activity. These fi gures increased by 4-6% if they recalled the follow up communications, highlighting the impact of our content and messaging in encouraging people to take action. Awareness of risk factors has increased compared to 2014.
Challenge
With 11.9 million people at increased risk of type 2 diabetes in the UK, and awareness of type 2 diabetes still low across the population, it is vital more people understand their risk – particularly those in the highest risk categories due to their age or background.
Objectives
To help up to 1 million people find out their risk of type 2 diabetes. To increase awareness of the risk factors, especially among the highest risk groups. To encourage those at risk to visit their GP and make changes to their diet or levels of physical activity.
Solution
In 2015, Diabetes UK identified three development areas to increase the reach and impact of the campaign: development of the Know Your Risk online tool, creation of a new roadshow app, and improvements to 'journey'. Clearer information was provided on the landing page, including what is needed to complete the questions and who should use the tool, and content was personalised on the results page, to highlight modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors, and with information tailored to the person's risk category to encourage them to take action. Navigation was simplified. A standalone app to be used at the roadshow was developed, replicating the online Know Your Risk tool, with additional functionality to print an individual's results and a letter for their GP if they are referred for further tests. This additional print out is an important prompt to encourage action. The app was designed to sync data immediately with the organisation's email broadcast system, meaning we could send a follow up email to roadshow visitors within 24 hours, again to prompt action. Using feedback from previous campaign activity, as well as additional user insight, the team developed new resources that were easy to understand and evidence-based, including emails with follow up information, signposting and support and an A Z-card with top tips for healthy eating and getting active.
Learnings
The app has had additional benefits, including reducing data protection risk and reducing the staff resource needed for processing data by two days per month. The new design and content developed for our follow up email journeys for people at risk led to increased engagement from users, with click through rates increasing from 3.5% to 8.2%.
Evaluation
In 2015 the evaluation was carried out by ICM, an external agency, with a sample of 1,000 people who visited a roadshow between July and October 2015. People were asked a series of questions over the phone which covered topics such as their knowledge of diabetes, their experience of the roadshow event, follow up communications and GP visit, if applicable. They were also asked about the changes that they have made since attending.
