Mass media campaigns for chronic pain: a scoping review to inform design of future campaigns

Abstract

Background: Chronic pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide due to both a high prevalence and the associated health burden. Mass media campaigns can educate the public, promote evidence-based healthcare messages, and positively influence health behaviours. Objectives: To evaluate the literature on mass media campaigns focusing on adults with chronic pain management to inform the design of future campaigns. Methods: A scoping review including literature from seven databases was undertaken. A narrative synthesis approach was used to identify the key features of all campaigns and gaps in knowledge. Results: Twenty-five articles evaluating 11 mass media campaigns for pain management, targeting the public and/or healthcare providers were included. Most of the campaigns were on back pain from high-income, Western countries and were shown to produce small to moderate improvements in public beliefs and minimal positive change on public or provider behaviour. The key elements from campaigns include careful consideration for developing and testing key messages with a target audience. Both high and low-cost campaigns had produced similar improvements in campaign awareness. The use of social media as a mode of dissemination was relatively unexplored. Conclusion: Mass media campaigns on pain management may lead to positive changes in public and healthcare providers' beliefs and minimal effect on changing behaviours. Social media may have considerable potential as a low cost, high reach modality. Future pain campaigns conducted in other contexts (e.g. low and middle-income countries) and targeted populations (e.g. culturally and linguistically diverse communities) are needed.