Audience:
The Crissy campaign, designed by the STOP AIDS Project in San Francisco, was developed in order to encourage communication among gay and bisexual men in San Francisco about the relationship between crystal methamphetamine (speed), sex and HIV.Crissy was designed in order to appeal to gay and bisexual men who are a part of the bar and dance club scene in San Francisco. The STOP AIDS Project wanted to include both users and non-users in this community dialogue.
Goals:
The goals for those who use speed were to: Encourage them to examine their motivations for using speed. Educate them about the link between speed use and HIV transmission. Encourage condom use while on speed. Provide referral information for those who are concerned about their use and want to seek help.The goals for those who do not use speed were to:
- Encourage them to question the allure of speed.
- Educate them about the link between speed use and HIV transmission.
- Help their friends who use examine why they use.
The Campaign:
The campaign consisted of seven different messages which appeared over a five month period. The campaign began with a "teaser", followed by messages which progressed from milder to more "hard hitting" comments and questions. Posters were placed in public restrooms in bars and dance clubs in the Castro and South of Market neighborhoods. Postcards were also distributed in many of these venues. Print ads were placed in local bar and club guides. In addition, volunteers distributed materials from the campaign to more than 2,000 patrons at various bars and dance clubs.Supplemental funds received late in the campaign allowed the final three posters to be printed as bus shelters. These were placed predominantly in the Castro and South of Market neighborhoods.
Evaluation:
An evaluation of the campaign was conducted by volunteers and staff who administered surveys about the campaign in three separate venues, including two dance clubs and one street-based location in the Castro. Survey respondents were asked about their attitudes toward the Crissy campaign, their perception about speed use in the community, their speed use history during the previous six as well as demographic and HIV antibody test information. Crissy T-shirts were given to respondents as incentives for completed surveys.
Questions/Comments:
Please contact Steven Gibson at the STOP AIDS Project, 201 Sanchez, San Francisco, CA 94114 (415) 575-1545, x258 if you have additional questions or comments.
Crissy Campaign Analysis
- 253 gay and bisexual men were surveyed about the Crissy campaign, their perceptions about speed use among gay and bisexual men in San Francisco as well as their personal speed use history.
- Surveys were fielded in three different locations, including two dance clubs (Universe and Fag Fridays), over two consecutive weekends.
- Of those surveyed, 57% had seen the Crissy campaign. San Francisco residents were much more likely to have seen the campaign. 74% of the respondents who live in SF had seen the campaign.
- Of those who had seen the campaign, 57% said that the campaign was about crystal meth. In addition, nearly 20% of the respondents said the campaign was about HIV prevention and speed use.
- When asked specifically what Crissy made them think about speed and sex, 69% of the 108 people who answered the question said that the campaign was about speed use and HIV transmission.
- Of the 253 men surveyed, 41% (N=103) have used speed in the last six months. 79% of these men (N=81) have had sex while using speed.
- Nearly half (42%) of the men who have had sex on speed said that their speed use has affected their ability to have safe sex.
- 91% of those surveyed have had an HIV antibody test. Of those who had been tested, 10% (N=23) were HIV positive.
- 57% of the HIV positive men sampled used speed in the last six months.
- Nearly half (47%) of the respondents 25 or younger had used speed in the last six months.
- 65% of those who have used speed in the last six months had seen the Crissy campaign.
- Of the 103 men who have used speed in the last six months, 25% used it "once or twice". 19% used it "three or four times". More than half (55%) used it once a month or more frequently.
- More than half (52%) of the men surveyed said that "a lot" of gay and bi men use speed in SF. An additional 8% said that "everybody" uses speed.
- 69% of the men surveyed said that they have friends who use speed. Ten people said that "all" of their friends use speed.
- It appears that men who use speed more frequently were more likely to have seen the campaign. 61% of the men who used speed once a month had seen Crissy. 73% of those who used speed several times a month had seen the campaign and 75% of those who used it once a week or more had seen Crissy.
- Not surprisingly, those who used speed in the last six months were more likely to perceive speed use as widespread. 60% said that "a lot" of gay and bi men use speed and 15% said that "almost everybody" uses speed.
- Those who used speed were also more likely to have friends who use speed. 97% of speed users surveyed had friends who also use it.
- Surprisingly, even those who do not use speed know friends who use it. Nearly half (49%) of those who don't use speed have friends who use it.
Crissy Survey Respondent Demographics
TOTAL: 251 100%
Age: (N=251) N % 25 and younger 64 25% 26-29 57 23% 30-39 108 43% 40-49 19 8% 50 and older 3 1% TOTAL: 251 100%
Ethnicity: (N=251) N % African-American/Black 18 7% Asian/Pacific Islander 29 12% Caucasian/White 138 55% Latino/Hispanic 33 13% Native American/Indian 4 2% Multi-Cultural 22 9% Other 5 2% Decline to State 2 1%
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