This project will develop prototypes of health education materials for an Appalachian Community Kit for Alcohol Prevention. Materials will reflect the unique culture of Appalachia. Appalachia is important: With one in twelve Americans living there, the region has a population equal to that of all Latino Americans at the last census. Though Appalachia has significant legal and social impediments to alcohol use, alcohol abuse there is common. Nevertheless, the region lacks culturally appropriate materials for alcohol prevention. Relying on sound prevention science, the firm will develop a culturally congruent kit that uses the focal role of women in the Appalachian family as the access point. To test this approach's feasibility, staff will conduct focus groups to understand how Appalachian mothers and youth react to alcohol prevention. Based on findings, the firm will develop prototypes of materials that use appropriate images and messages to empower women to prevent alcohol use among their offspring. Concurrently, staff will develop an instrument to evaluate materials and pretest this instrument to address issues of reliability and validity. By means of a survey, staff will determine whether women understand messages, accept them, and feel motivated. Toborg Associates will document its research and recommendations in a monograph. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: The Community Kit will be marketed extensively throughout Appalachia, which includes all or part of 13 states, 406 counties, many small and medium-sized towns, and 21 million residents, a number of persons equal to all Latino Americans at the last census. The many health departments, community-based organizations, hospitals, health clinics, homemakers' clubs, church groups, and small colleges in the region as well as individual doctors' offices will provide a rich market.
Thesaurus Terms: alcoholism /alcohol abuse education, alcoholism /alcohol abuse prevention, community health service, culture, educational resource design /development geographic site, mother child interaction behavioral /social science research tag, female, human subject
