Abdominal symptoms campaign
For information about bowel cancer symptoms for the public, check out our webpage.
Public awareness of the signs and symptoms of cancer can support timely presentation in primary care and drive earlier diagnosis. Be Clear on Cancer (BCOC) campaigns were carried out to raise awareness of key symptoms of cancer and encourage people to go to their GP without delay.
Why were the campaigns run?
This was the first time that a BCOC campaign led with a focus on a specific body area and localised symptoms.
A regional BCOC abdominal symptoms campaign ran across the East Midlands in February and March 2017. The aim of the pilot campaign was to evaluate the impact of the messaging on the target audience as results from other BCOC activity had shown GPs were more likely to see patients with the symptoms advertised in a campaign.
Who did the campaigns target?
The campaign was aimed at those aged 50 years and older from lower socioeconomic groups. The aim was to raise awareness that ongoing abdominal symptoms could be a sign of cancer and that going to the GP could help detect it early, when treatment is more likely to be successful. Advertisement was included in local and regional newspapers, radio adverts and out of home advertising (bus shelters, washrooms, pharmacy bags etc.).
What were the key messages?
The key message for the campaign was ‘if you have had tummy troubles for 3 weeks or more, it could be a sign of cancer, tell your doctor’.
The wider message for the campaign was ‘Don’t ignore the warning signs. If you’ve been suffering from tummy troubles such as diarrhoea, bloating, discomfort or anything else that just doesn’t feel right for three weeks or more, it could be a sign of cancer. Finding it early makes it more treatable. Tell your doctor.’
The main three symptoms the campaign promoted were diarrhoea, bloating and discomfort. The public facing leaflet for the campaign also highlighted; constipation, nausea/feeling sick and blood in poo for three weeks or more. People with other unusual changes like a lump in the tummy area, postmenopausal bleeding or unexplained weight loss were encouraged to go and tell their doctor.
The advertising highlighted that finding cancer early makes it more treatable.
How were the campaigns evaluated?
As with all BCOC campaigns, evaluation metrics for the campaign were developed in consultation with a range of experts. These include:
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the impact of the campaign on public awareness through pre- and post-campaign surveys
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the number of cancer presentations to primary care
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the number of urgent GP referrals for suspected cancer across multiple pathways
the conversion rates following urgent GP referrals
Be Clear on Cancer statement
Be Clear on Cancer was a cancer awareness campaign led by Public Health England, working in partnership with the Department of Health and NHS England. This page contains links to documents that we hope you find useful. Please note however that the views or opinions expressed within those links are not necessarily those of Cancer Research UK.