Implementation and evaluation of a community-based social marketing campaign to create awareness of hypertension as a risk factor for dementia

As the Australian population ages, the incidence of dementia is rising in epidemic proportions, with serious implications for sufferers, carers and health services. There is a compelling need for effective early intervention and prevention strategies as well as models to guide knowledge translation to improve dementia prevention and care. The most modifiable risk factor for dementia is hypertension and treating hypertension in midlife is the most effective means of reducing dementia risk, yet public awareness of this is extremely low. The purpose of this pilot project was to plan, implement and evaluate a social marketing campaign to raise community awareness of the link between hypertension and dementia, and how to prevent, monitor and manage hypertension.