Raising awareness: Public communication for enhanced sensitivity
Most chronic wounds are preventable. Each of us can contribute to prevention, because with attention and sensitivity to our own bodies, people can recognize the early warning signs and take them seriously before a wound occurs. However, this requires the necessary knowledge. That is why in our public communication we talk about how and why chronic wounds arise, draw attention to the everyday lives of those affected and give tips on how to give your body the attention it deserves.
With our “Dancing Feet” campaign, we addressed a broad target group on our social media channels. Since various underlying diseases can lead to chronic wounds on feet and legs, we drew attention to our physical foundation as a preventive measure and adopted a dance-like, playful attitude. Together with choreographers and dance groups, we developed five inspiring videos. The choreographies were deliberately kept simple and encourage participation. The dancers in the videos are deliberately not professionals, but people like you and me. Diversity of feet was important to us because foot health affects us all: from children to seniors. The campaign website also provides background information on foot health and explains why tingling, swollen or discolored feet can be an early sign of a disease that leads to chronic wounds.
On our social media channels, the semi-annual newsletter and our blog posts, we clarify myths and misconceptions about wound healing, give tips on how to manage life with a chronic wound and explain the underlying pathologies that cause most chronic wounds. By participating in health fairs and events such as the “Long Night of Research,” we stay in touch with the public, maintain an open face-to-face dialogue and offer small workshops and playful formats.
Our public communication extends across all media channels. Both the regional and national press reported on our topics. Most recently, our co-director Raffael Himmelsbach spoke on the radio show “Dimensions” about the status quo of wound care in Austria and provided information about how the situation can be improved for patients and practitioners.
