HIV and Mental Health Campaign Developed for Illinois HIV Care Connect

March 14, 2016 - Valek and Co. developed a communication campaign for Illinois HIV Care Connect to call attention to the importance of good mental health toward achieving HIV viral suppression – a low level of HIV in the blood. Valek & Co. works in partnership with the Illinois Public Health Association (IPHA), a client since 2007, on Illinois HIV Care Connect outreach and media activities funded by the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Valek and Co. developed content about HIV and mental health for Illinois HIV Care Connect’s website, as well as graphics, a quiz, and regular social media messages on Twitter, Facebook and Google+. Valek and Co. also conducted media outreach to Illinois outlets.

During the November-to-March campaign period, the HIV and mental health pages combined to be the fourth most commonly viewed on the website, which has about 25,000 views per year. The viral suppression pages were third.

More than 120 individuals accessed the 10-minute HIV and Mental Health Quiz, with about one-half of them completing it. The quiz was designed to educate people living with HIV about mental health, both before and after taking the quiz. Respondent data show that these individuals increased their knowledge of this topic after reviewing the content and taking the quiz.