Raising Awareness of Meningococcal Meningitis and Septicaemia in Europe

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Raising Awareness of Meningococcal Meningitis
and Septicaemia in Europe
EPHA Conference 9th November 2005


Daphne Holt Meningitis Trust
Bev Corbett Meningitis Trust
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The Problem

• Awareness of meningococcal meningitis and
  septicaemia is low in Continental Europe
• It is a rare disease around 1 case in 100,000
  population although numbers vary from country to
  country
• lack of awareness is understandable,
• but not excusable, around 2700 children suffered
  from the disease last year
• fatality rate 10
• disability rate 20
• The effect of the disease is best illustrated by
  a case study

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Case Study

• Major points for Mum
• knowing signs and symptoms and action to take
• being empowered to trust her instincts
• finding support for the family after the event

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The UK Experience (1)

• For parents
• Symptoms card
• 24 hr nurse-led helpline
• One-to-One contact
• Support groups
• For children
•  When Monty had Meningitis 
• helping children to explore their experiences in
  hospital through story telling
•  Siblings Day 
• brothers sisters of children who suffered
  meningitis can explore their ideas and feelings
• For teachers and educators
•  Understanding Meningitis  a guide for Early
  Years professionals

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The UK Experience (2)

• Increase public awareness
• a range of information materials
• media campaigns
• Internet
• Giving the disease a high profile putting it in
  the news
• reinforcing meningococcal disease as a public
  health threat
• building relationships with key decision makers

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The Challenge in Europe

• To raise disease profile among all stakeholders -
  this disease kills health children quickly
• To raise awareness in a responsible way
• To support stakeholders - Information campaigns
  are not enough

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Position in Europe

• Major sources of information on health issues for
  Europeans (Eurobarometer report, March 2003)
• healthcare professionals (45),
• television (20),
• newspapers/magazines(15)
• Lever for change
• lack of knowledge and awareness
• Targets for change
• healthcare professionals
• the media

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EU Support

• Recognise the vulnerability and isolation of
  patients and their families
• Recognise that information campaigns run by PR
  companies are not the complete answer
• when fearful information is given families must
  be supported, for example by a helpline
• Recognise that organisations such as the
  Meningitis Trust and local patient groups have a
  part to play
• raising the disease profile in a responsible
  manner
• supporting families and children

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Contact

• Daphne E Holt PhD MBA FRCPath
• Manager, International Development
• Meningitis Trust
• Kerhars, 22320 Le Haut Corlay, France
• dholt2_at_wanadoo.fr
• Tel/Fax [phone]
• Beverley Corbett
• Manager, Education Training
• BeverleyC_at_meningitis-trust.org
• Tel [phone]
• 24-hr Nurse-led International Helpline
• 00 44 870 124 7000
• www.meningitis-trust.org
• www.inmedonline.com
• www.meningitis-learning.org