Public campaigns and community engagement
To reach the public effectively, the PEOPLE-Hull initiative conducted workshops and gathered insights to design a comprehensive public campaign called ‘Check Your Lungs’.
The public campaign included a dedicated Check Your Lungs website, activity on social media platforms, billboard advertisements in Hull, and engaging videos featuring individuals sharing their personal experiences with lung health issues. Notably, well-known local comedian Lucy Beaumont was also involved in creating a campaign video.
Comedians including Lucy Beaumont and Jon Richardson get involved with the Check Your Lungs campaign
The message from all these platforms was the same: if you spot any of the symptoms listed, see your doctor.
The campaign also included community roadshows at shopping centres, supermarkets, and community venues in Hull, as well as having a presence at popular Hull events including the Humber Street Sesh festival and events at Hull museums.
These roadshows aimed to engage with the community directly and raise awareness about lung health. Attendees were encouraged to complete a symptoms questionnaire, and those who reported experiencing symptoms and had not seen a doctor received a card which they could show their GP practice, advising they require medical attention within seven days.
Dr Walabyeki explained, “The purpose of the card was to expedite their appointment with a GP; we wanted to help people with these symptoms get seen quickly, and by showing this card at their surgery it helped the patient to be seen within a week.”
In addition to the card, people were given health packs which included the symptoms to be aware of, where to get help, and details of stop smoking services, although this was not the focus for the campaign.
During the time working on the roadshow, there were several visitors who returned to share their news.
Dr Walabyeki said, “We had one person who had a red reading on the carbon monoxide test at the roadshow who came back the same day to say they immediately booked a GP appointment.
"Another person visited us later to thank us; they went to their doctor after the questionnaire showed they needed to see a GP and were then diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism.
"And a member of a focus group was reported to have gone to see their GP immediately after the discussion with breathlessness, and was found to need a pacemaker. Hearing those anecdotes while we were out in the field was really heartening.”
GP-specific campaigns
The PEOPLE-Hull study faced significant disruptions due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the NHS Lung Health Checks programme in Hull. The original outreach efforts which began in 2019 had to be halted, resulting in a delay in the planned activities. However, the initiative resumed in 2021, focusing on campaigns in 6 participating GP practices in Hull, covering a significant portion of the Hull population.
GP surgeries displayed campaign material featuring their own doctors to encourage patients to make an appointment if they had any lung health symptoms
GP surgeries displayed campaign material featuring their own doctors to encourage patients to make an appointment if they had any lung health symptoms
Practice-specific media campaigns were launched within these practices, featuring messages from GPs and other health practitioners. Practices employed banners, TV screens, online resources on their websites and some sent out text messages to inform patients about the importance of seeking medical help for respiratory symptoms. GPs were given access to resources on the checkyourlungs.co.uk website.
Dr Walabyeki explained, “These messages from known figures within the practices were developed to connect directly with their patients. Different practices then adopted various strategies according to their individual capacity, to ensure patients who presented with these symptoms received prompt medical attention.”
Future outlook
As the PEOPLE-Hull study has now closed, the research study team are continuing to collate and analyse data to determine the impact of the project on patients' behaviour. This analysis will include the number of patients seeking medical help for respiratory symptoms, referrals to secondary care, and the timeliness of GP appointments.
The study's mixed-methods evaluation is complex, including interviews with patients about their symptoms, experiences seeking medical help, and the outcomes of their appointments; focused ethnography, where researchers will observe behaviours within practice waiting areas; focus groups with receptionists, healthcare practitioners and practice staff; and a consensus development exercise, meeting with GPs and practice managers to provide insights into attitudes and barriers faced by different patient groups.
Professor Una Macleod, Dean of Hull York Medical School and a member of the research team working on PEOPLE-Hull, said “By reframing the conversation around lung health and emphasising early detection rather than focusing solely on smoking cessation, our study aimed to help reduce the stigma associated with smoking and lung cancer, and encouraged individuals to prioritise their lung health.”
“The Check Your Lungs campaign has laid the groundwork for a healthier future in Hull, where individuals prioritise their lung health and seek timely medical care, resulting in saving lives and improving outcomes for the community.”
Dr Kathryn Scott, Chief Executive at Yorkshire Cancer Research said, “Findings from the Check Your Lungs campaign will help improve the early detection of lung cancer in Hull and beyond.
“Seven in 10 lung cancers are diagnosed at a late stage in Yorkshire. By finding lung cancer earlier through screening and understanding the best ways to encourage people with symptoms to seek medical advice, we can save lives.”
For more information about the Check Your Lungs campaign and the PEOPLE-Hull research study, please contact Dr Julie Walabyeki. Dr Walabyeki is a member of the Cancer Awareness, Screening and Diagnostic Pathways Research Group.