TERRA NOVA LEARNING SYSTEMS — Department of Health and Human Services SBIR Phase I: NIMHD

Description

DESCRIPTION provided by applicant Smoking is a leading cause of preventable disease in the U S and contributes to more than or nearly one of five deaths each year More deaths are caused by complications from smoking than by the combined death totals from the human immunodeficiency virus car crashes illegal drug use alcohol use suicides and murders Of particular concern is the U S epidemiological evidence showing that preventable deaths affect almost twice as many minority adults than their White counterparts Research is calling for culturally targeted smoking interventions for minority youth that meet ethnic cultural experiences needs and values The proposed project meets needs stated in the andquot Innovation for Health Livingandquot grant announcement from the National Institute for Minority Health and Health Disparities for andquot culturally attuned behavioral interventions that empower and promote opportunities for individuals to avoid risky behaviorsandquot and creating andquot culturally appropriate evidence based educational media such as printed materials for health disparities populations and disadvantaged communities andquot The project targets the need to andquot reduce health disparities within and across the priority areas of cardiovascular disease stroke and conditions of public health importance andquot During Phase I Terra Nova will work with smoking prevention literary cultural and communication experts and an advisory panel of urban minority adolescents to research and design a complete prototype Graphic Novel with a story focused on smoking prevention and health information and will feature a group of characters in a virtual urban setting that resonate with the target population minority youth yrs The story will be developed with input from inner city youth and written to the group most vulnerable to smoking initiation inner city minority teens living in low socio economic communities The novelandapos s anti smoking message will be extended by online mentor materials designed for use by youth mentors group leaders through individual group and outreach activities Project materials will be developed with input from a youth advisory committee evaluated by expert consultants and field tested with inner city minority adolescents for outcomes of future smoking intention perceived risks benefits of smoking and confidence in smoking refusal skills Through Smoking Prevention A Graphic Novel Approach for Urban Minority Adolescents Terra Nova seeks to reach and engage at risk adolescents in a new and innovative way PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE By creating an anti smoking message specifically targeting minority youth delivered through a literature format popular with adolescents the graphic novel the proposed Smoking Prevention A Graphic Novel Approach for Urban Minority Adolescents will provide important health information to groups of youth that may not be reached by more general anti smoking programs currently used in schools and communities Students can relate to the group of characters introduced in an engaging graphic novel story who navigate pressures to smoke within the context of dynamic environmental pressures The project is designed to help increase confidence in smoking refusal skills and anti smoking outcomes of minority youth thereby addressing the numbers of preventable deaths in this country from heart disease and stroke more than half of which occur in minority adults