Open Up to Mouth Cancer campaign strategy

Open Up to Mouth Cancer is a comprehensive public health campaign built around the following key elements.

Research

Open Up to Mouth Cancer is a research-based campaign. Our strategy is driven by both quantitative and qualitative research.

We test our public communication materials in focus groups and produce professional resources in consultation with relevant specialists.

Public communication

We have produced a range of information resources targeted at both general audiences and at-risk groups. We defined our key target groups using research evidence and expert opinion. Further communication initiatives have been developed through pilot work in at-risk communities and psychosocial research.

These public information resources are supported by a press and PR programme to maximise the impact of the campaign.

Policy development

As with all our health promotion initiatives, the development of supportive public policy is essential for this campaign's success. For more on our campaigning and work with government see our public policy pages.

Professional support

Open Up to Mouth Cancer has developed several resources to enable us to engage with and support local health professionals. Tailored materials were sent to GP surgeries, dental practices and pharmacies across the UK. We have teamed up with onmedica.net to produce an online mouth cancer course for GPs. We also actively seek advice from experts in the mouth cancer field.

Campaign aims

The main focus of the campaign is to encourage early presentation of mouth cancer (or pre-cancer) with at-risk groups. Primary prevention messages will back up this clear call to action.

Our campaign objectives are:

• to increase knowledge of the early signs and causes of mouth cancer among defined target groups
• to increase awareness of actions that can be taken to detect the disease early
• positively to influence attitudes towards early presentation.