Evaluation of an AIDS awareness campaign using city buses in Johannesburg

The Johannesburg City Health Department embarked on an AIDS awareness campaign using messages placed on the outside of 30 city buses. The selection of the message and the campaign are outlined briefly. An evaluation to assess the overall effectiveness and the cost-effectiveness of using buses as a "vehicle' for exposing the local community to AIDS awareness messages is described. Two cross-sectional studies using telephone interviews were done 2 1/2 and 6 months after the campaign began; 30.2% and 31.5%, respectively, of respondents had seen the message. Accurate recall of the message was generally poor. The overall cost of the campaign was R7 627. Various other aspects of the study are discussed. The study revealed that signs on buses are a cost-effective means of conveying simple and brief health-related messages.