Informing - Be Blood Aware

Be Blood Aware(BBA) is a campaign to introduce the general public and targeted groups to Blood Borne Viruses, ie, Hep B, Hep C and HIV.  The campaign was designed after an intensive series of campaigns and workshops undertaken throughout the UK showed a genuine need for a more targeted approach which would deliver vital, basic information about hepatitis and HIV to at risk groups.

How?

The campaign approaches blood borne viruses from the ‘blood' angle - it seeks to emphasise to those we interact with that because the route of transmission (ie blood) is common to everybody, you may be needlessly putting yourself at risk.

The campaign emphasises that the best way to protect yourself from infection is through education.

Be Blood Aware is designed to be a direct intervention tool.  It is simple, concise and can be delivered in just a few minutes;

1. Individuals are asked about their baseline knowledge of BBVs
2. The person delivering the intervention then produces a board outlining all major risk activities.
3. Depending on the situation (eg prison health fair, music event, University Open Day), different risk factors can be discussed and ways of avoiding them.

 Where? 

The tool is flexible enough to work in a wide variety of environments and events because it concentrates on areas of an individuals life where they might come into contact with blood (ie through sharing drug works, toiletries, transfusions and tattooing and piercing).  In the last year, it has successfully been used with nearly 1,000 people across the UK, a the following venues;

• Music festivals including T in the Park, V, and WOMAD
• Freshers Fairs at Brighton, Newcastle, Dundee, Manchester, Surrey and Edinburgh
• As part of its awareness raising for World Hepatitis Day, Mainliners held a Be Blood Aware Day at St Peter's Direct Action Hostel in Bournemouth.
• Be Blood Aware was also part of Springboard Media's Blood Exhibition in London in February 2009.