In August 1996, health officials in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia, decided to use a social marketing approach to prevent a holiday outbreak of diarrhea cases. The cases were associated with the preparation of chitterlings (pork intestines, pronounced “chitlins”) by African American women. Formative research identified the source of transmission to be breaks in sanitation during preparation. After culture tests confirmed the safety of the potential interventions, a culturally-appropriate and low-cost intervention was designed around the message: “Pre-boil your chitterlings for five minutes before cleaning and cooking as usual.” Despite the short lead time (August to November) and relatively low budget, the project generated positive results. The project targeted the women.
