[su_youtube url=”https://youtu.be/53EhlaPjh1s”] [su_expand more_text=”Show More”] When planning poison prevention activities, the first question you need to consider is, “who am I trying to reach?”  Programs are successful when the community’s needs are considered.  Primary audiences include the community at risk of poisoning and secondary audiences include other community members.  Your target audience can be anyone whom you wish to reach with poison prevention messages. The target audience for poison prevention may be one or more of the following:

• Children
• Teenagers/babysitters
• Adults/parents
• Older Adults/grandparents

Other target audiences you should try to reach are healthcare professional (such as pharmacists, nurses, pediatricians, and emergency service personnel) and childcare providers. Parents and other caretakers of children often seek information and support from sources they deem reliable and credible such as doctors and pharmacists.  Health care professionals are often in the position to disseminate health related information to their clients. Identifying your target audience(s) and understanding their needs, interests and habits will help you determine the best methods to reach them with your poison prevention messages.  Educating the public and professionals about the dangers of poisoning is our strongest link to preventing poisoning. Sharing poison prevention information with your community is easy:

• Include the GPC materials into your teachings, trainings, and education/outreach activities
• Contact community organizations and ask how you can share/distribute poison prevention materials and information

Educational and Outreach Activities can include:

• Distribute materials and poison prevention information
• Participate in a health fair
• Give a presentation
• Post on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube)
• Share poison prevention information in newsletters
• Participate in National Poison Prevention Week (NPPW)

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