Abstract
Aim
The overall goal of the project was to get accurate health information distributed to intravenous drug users in order to improve the drug using habits of this particular group.
Method
To achieve the goal, small cards the size of credit cards were produced. The cards were designed so that on one side the user would find a health question, and on the other side of the card, he would find the correct answer. To give the card an aesthetic value beyond the health information, a selection of Danish artists volunteered to do a series of beautiful and creative decorations, one for each of the different cards. The cards came in categories i.e. drugs, fixing techniques, the body, communicable diseases, rights, and homelessness. The project produced 100 different cards. In total 400 000 copies were made. Every 3 months, copies of a batch of 25 different new cards were circulated along with Copenhagen's free handout syringe set. For an evaluation of the project, a series of interviews with active drug users were conducted before the cards were circulated, during circulation, and then again 3–6 month and 9–15 months after the cards had been removed from circulation. In total, 4 rounds of interviews were carried out with 45–48 interviewees per round.
Results
The evaluation results showed that 37% of the information that the project wanted to communicate via the cards allready existed as correct knowledge among the target group. During the intervention period (the 3 months where the cards were being circulated) the level of correct knowledge rose to 58%. In the two last interview rounds (3–6 and 9–15 month after the cards had been removed from circulation) the level of correct knowledge rose again and stabilized at 69% and 68% of correct answers.
Conclusion
The evaluation concluded that the intervention seemed to make a positive and strong impact on transferring accurate health information to a “hard to reach” target group. Furthermore, the evaluation confirms that the level of correct knowledge stayed at a high level over time and actually seemed to increase slightly after the cards had been removed from circulation. As an explanation to this increase, it is important to note that the evaluation showed that the cards were made a “collector's item” within the target group. Thus, the information card developed a value in itself and provided the cardholders with high social status within the target group. In addition, the information then spread not only from the card to the user, but also from one user to another.