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Public awareness campaigns on palliative care : applying a multidimensional model to understand the reception by the general public

(2025) QUALITATIVE HEALTH RESEARCH. 35(13). p.1508-1523
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Abstract
Public awareness campaigns on palliative care aim to tackle limited public knowledge and negative perceptions of palliative care. However, little is known about their public reception. This study examined how existing campaigns are interpreted, evaluated, and engaged with by members of the general public. Three public campaigns, launched in Flanders or the Netherlands between 2020 and 2023, were discussed in 10 focus groups (total of 65 participants). The analysis was guided by Schr & oslash;der's multidimensional audience reception model. Our results show that campaigns were interpreted, evaluated, and engaged with in highly divergent ways. People with personal experiences surrounding serious illness were generally more open toward campaign messages, while a sense of personal relevance was lacking for others. Campaigns that centered on the perspectives of seriously ill individuals while portraying them in active and resilient positions were more positively evaluated. Moreover, they were more successful in broadening perceptions of palliative care beyond being hospital-based end-of-life care for severely ill and care-dependent persons. Conversely, materials that neglected the patient's voice while framing palliative care as enabling moments of joy "despite serious illness" generally fortified prior perceptions and were often rejected. Additionally, a preference for highlighting the social context surrounding the patient was repeatedly expressed. We conclude that diversified strategies, optimizing a sense of personal relevance, are needed to more effectively influence public understanding and engagement toward palliative care. Destigmatizing palliative care also involves destigmatizing persons with serious illness, and representing them with an emphasis on their agency and strength is vital to this shift.
Keywords
palliative care, audience reception, public awareness campaigns, destigmatization, focus groups, qualitative methods, FOCUS GROUPS, INFORMATION, ATTITUDES, EDUCATION, IMPACT, EoLC

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Citation

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MLA
Matthys, Marjolein, et al. “Public Awareness Campaigns on Palliative Care : Applying a Multidimensional Model to Understand the Reception by the General Public.” QUALITATIVE HEALTH RESEARCH, vol. 35, no. 13, 2025, pp. 1508–23, doi:10.1177/10497323241300911.
APA
Matthys, M., Deforche, B., Deliens, L., Cohen, J., Beernaert, K., Van Brussel, L., … Dhollander, N. (2025). Public awareness campaigns on palliative care : applying a multidimensional model to understand the reception by the general public. QUALITATIVE HEALTH RESEARCH, 35(13), 1508–1523. https://doi.org/10.1177/10497323241300911
Chicago author-date
Matthys, Marjolein, Benedicte Deforche, Luc Deliens, Joachim Cohen, Kim Beernaert, Leen Van Brussel, Kenneth Chambaere, and Naomi Dhollander. 2025. “Public Awareness Campaigns on Palliative Care : Applying a Multidimensional Model to Understand the Reception by the General Public.” QUALITATIVE HEALTH RESEARCH 35 (13): 1508–23. https://doi.org/10.1177/10497323241300911.
Chicago author-date (all authors)
Matthys, Marjolein, Benedicte Deforche, Luc Deliens, Joachim Cohen, Kim Beernaert, Leen Van Brussel, Kenneth Chambaere, and Naomi Dhollander. 2025. “Public Awareness Campaigns on Palliative Care : Applying a Multidimensional Model to Understand the Reception by the General Public.” QUALITATIVE HEALTH RESEARCH 35 (13): 1508–1523. doi:10.1177/10497323241300911.
Vancouver
1.
Matthys M, Deforche B, Deliens L, Cohen J, Beernaert K, Van Brussel L, et al. Public awareness campaigns on palliative care : applying a multidimensional model to understand the reception by the general public. QUALITATIVE HEALTH RESEARCH. 2025;35(13):1508–23.
IEEE
[1]
M. Matthys et al., “Public awareness campaigns on palliative care : applying a multidimensional model to understand the reception by the general public,” QUALITATIVE HEALTH RESEARCH, vol. 35, no. 13, pp. 1508–1523, 2025.
@article{01JHT1QEQ2YGDP9R524QMMV3E5,
  abstract     = {{Public awareness campaigns on palliative care aim to tackle limited public knowledge and negative perceptions of palliative care. However, little is known about their public reception. This study examined how existing campaigns are interpreted, evaluated, and engaged with by members of the general public. Three public campaigns, launched in Flanders or the Netherlands between 2020 and 2023, were discussed in 10 focus groups (total of 65 participants). The analysis was guided by Schr & oslash;der's multidimensional audience reception model. Our results show that campaigns were interpreted, evaluated, and engaged with in highly divergent ways. People with personal experiences surrounding serious illness were generally more open toward campaign messages, while a sense of personal relevance was lacking for others. Campaigns that centered on the perspectives of seriously ill individuals while portraying them in active and resilient positions were more positively evaluated. Moreover, they were more successful in broadening perceptions of palliative care beyond being hospital-based end-of-life care for severely ill and care-dependent persons. Conversely, materials that neglected the patient's voice while framing palliative care as enabling moments of joy "despite serious illness" generally fortified prior perceptions and were often rejected. Additionally, a preference for highlighting the social context surrounding the patient was repeatedly expressed. We conclude that diversified strategies, optimizing a sense of personal relevance, are needed to more effectively influence public understanding and engagement toward palliative care. Destigmatizing palliative care also involves destigmatizing persons with serious illness, and representing them with an emphasis on their agency and strength is vital to this shift.}},
  author       = {{Matthys, Marjolein and Deforche, Benedicte and Deliens, Luc and Cohen, Joachim and Beernaert, Kim and Van Brussel, Leen and Chambaere, Kenneth and Dhollander, Naomi}},
  issn         = {{1049-7323}},
  journal      = {{QUALITATIVE HEALTH RESEARCH}},
  keywords     = {{palliative care,audience reception,public awareness campaigns,destigmatization,focus groups,qualitative methods,FOCUS GROUPS,INFORMATION,ATTITUDES,EDUCATION,IMPACT,EoLC}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{13}},
  pages        = {{1508--1523}},
  title        = {{Public awareness campaigns on palliative care : applying a multidimensional model to understand the reception by the general public}},
  url          = {{http://doi.org/10.1177/10497323241300911}},
  volume       = {{35}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}

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