Evaluation of a Digital Media Campaign to Promote Knowledge and Awareness of the GPFirst Program for Nonurgent Conditions: Repeated Survey Study

Abstract

Background: GPFirst is a primary care partnership program designed to encourage patients with nonurgent conditions to seek care at participating general practitioner clinics instead of visiting the emergency department. In 2019, a digital media campaign (DMC) was launched to raise awareness and knowledge about GPFirst among residents in eastern Singapore. Objective: This study aims to assess the DMC’s impact on awareness and knowledge of GPFirst across different age groups, and the acceptability and satisfaction of GPFirst. Methods: The DMC, comprising Facebook posts and a website designed using the Andersen behavioral model, was evaluated through 2 repeated cross-sectional surveys. The first cross-sectional survey (CS1) was conducted with eastern Singapore residents aged 21 years and older, 2 1 year before the campaign’s launch, and the second survey (CS2) 4 months after. Satisfaction was measured on a 5-point Likert scale (very poor to excellent) about GPFirst experiences. Acceptability was assessed with 3 yes or no questions on decisions to visit or recommend GPFirst clinics. Analyses used tests of proportions, adjusted multiregression models, and age-stratified secondary analyses. Results: The Facebook posts generated 38,404 engagements within 5 months, with “#ThankYourGP” posts being the most viewed (n=24,602) and engaged (n=2618). Overall, 1191 and 1161 participants completed CS1 and CS2 respectively. Compared to CS1, CS2 participants were more aware (odds ratio [OR] 2.64, 95% CI 2.11-3.31; P