SBIR-STTR Award

The purpose of this study is to develop an interactive PC computer game (with a working title of "Escape From Nicotinia") that will encourage young girls, ages 8-12, to make sound and informed decisions concerning smoking, and thereby prevent initiation of smoking and subsequent nicotine addiction. The specific aims for Phase I are to: create a preliminary design document for final product; validate content and design for final product; develop an operational game prototype; evaluate the prototype product; establish commercialization and product branding plan; prepare report of Phase I results and the protocol for Phase II. Although the nature of this product is to send an educational message about the hazards of smoking, we will utilize computer gaming technology to create an immersive environment for the child that is playful and engaging. Interactive computer gaming technology is uniquely suited to the delivery of smoking prevention education because information can be presented in an innovative, engaging manner that is familiar to children and adolescents. The aim is to provide enough engagement in the game activities to send a clear message to young girls that they have the power to become stronger, healthier women by remaining smokefree. In Phase I, an executable prototype will be built for limited sections of the game and will be tested with a number of end-users measuring selected outcomes. Advisory panels of potential users, including educators, parents, and girls, will meet to discuss the development and future direction of the game. A field trial will be conducted to test usability and potential educational impact of the game. Phase II will produce the full-scope game and test end-users in selected elementary schools. Distribution of the game will be via CD-ROM and the internet.

Thesaurus Terms:
educational resource design /development, female, interactive multimedia, middle childhood (6-11), tobacco abuse education, tobacco abuse prevention DVD /CD ROM, Internet, education evaluation /planning, health behavior clinical research, human subject

Cigarette smoking has long been recognized as the most significant preventable cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Approximately 80% of current adult smokers began using cigarettes as adolescents. Because of the addictive nature of tobacco, prevention of smoking initiation is critical for individual and public health. Early intervention to prevent tobacco use is especially important in girls who are more likely than boys to be influenced by modifiable risk factors such as peer pressure, perceived social norms, negative affect, and low self-esteem. The purpose of this Phase II proposal is to produce an interactive video game to encourage girls to make sound and informed decisions concerning smoking, and thereby prevent initiation of smoking and subsequent nicotine addiction. Serious games employing interactive computer technology are uniquely suited to the delivery of smoking prevention education because information can be presented in an innovative, engaging manner that is familiar to children and adolescents. In Phase I, an executable prototype was developed and successfully tested for usability, satisfaction, and potential impact on knowledge and attitudes towards tobacco. The specific aims of this Phase II study are to: (1) produce a fully operational video game targeted to girls age 8-12 based on Phase I prototype and design document; (2) assess usability of the final game product; (3) evaluate the impact of game on anti-smoking knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs; (4) evaluate user satisfaction with the game. A multi-site field test of the game will be conducted in collaboration with a national nonprofit organization (Girls, Incorporated) serving girls across the US. Widespread distribution of the game, through traditional retail markets and education distribution channel is anticipated in Phase III. The video game market for girls is relatively untapped. A product targeted specifically to entertain girls, while providing a positive health message in a responsible social environment, has significant commercial value.

Public Health Relevance:
The purpose of this Phase II project is to produce an anti-smoking video game targeted specifically to young girls. The primary outcome of this project will be the development of an effective tool for teaching girls about dangers of smoking while engaging in a safe, fun activity. By playing the game, young girls will discover that they have the power to become stronger, healthier women by remaining smoke-free.

Public Health Relevance Statement:
Project Relevance The purpose of this Phase II project is to produce an anti-smoking video game targeted specifically to young girls. The primary outcome of this project will be the development of an effective tool for teaching girls about dangers of smoking while engaging in a safe, fun activity. By playing the game, young girls will discover that they have the power to become stronger, healthier women by remaining smoke-free.

NIH Spending Category:
Cancer; Clinical Research; Pediatric; Prevention; Smoking and Health; Substance Abuse; Tobacco

Project Terms:
0-11 years old; 12-20 years old; 21+ years old; Adolescence; Adolescent; Adolescent Youth; Adult; Affect; Age; Antismoking; Attitude; Belief; CDC; Centers for Disease Control; Centers for Disease Control (U.S.); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.); Child; Child Youth; Children (0-21); Cigarette; Clinical Trials, Phase II; Collaborations; Computer Programs; Computer software; Computers; Data; Data Banks; Data Bases; Databank, Electronic; Databanks; Database, Electronic; Databases; Dependence, Nicotine; Development; Dolphins; Dolphins - mammal; Early treatment; Education; Educational aspects; Educational process of instructing; Elements; Environment; Female Adolescents; Frequencies (time pattern); Frequency; Geographic Area; Geographic Locations; Geographic Region; Geographical Location; Goals; Health; Human, Adult; Human, Child; Individual; Interview; Knowledge; Literature; Marketing; MeSH Descriptors Class 4; Morbidity; Morbidity - disease rate; Mortality; Mortality Vital Statistics; Nature; Nicotine Dependence; Nonprofit Organizations; Oceans; Organizations, Non-Profit; Organizations, Nonprofit; Participant; Pathway interactions; Peer Pressure; Phase; Phase 2 Clinical Trials; Phase II Clinical Trials; Play; Prevention education; Programs (PT); Programs [Publication Type]; Public Health; Recommendation; Relative; Relative (related person); Risk Factors; Sampling; Site; Smoke; Smoker; Smoking; Smoking Prevention; Social Environment; Software; Sound; Sound - physical agent; Teaching; Technology; Testing; Tobacco; Tobacco Consumption; Tobacco use; United States; United States Centers for Disease Control; United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Video Games; Woman; Work; Youth; Youth 10-21; adolescence (12-20); adolescent girl; adult human (21+); base; boys; children; cigarette smoking; clinical data repository; clinical data warehouse; computer program/software; computerized data processing; data processing; data repository; design; designing; geographic site; girls; hazard; innovate; innovation; innovative; iterative design; juvenile; juvenile human; modifiable risk; nicotine addiction; pathway; phase 2 study; phase 2 trial; phase II trial; prevent; preventing; primary outcome; programs; protocol, phase II; prototype; public health medicine (field); public health relevance; relational database; satisfaction; self esteem; signal processing; smoke cigarette; social; social climate; social context; socioenvironment; sound; study, phase II; teenage; tobacco prevention; tobacco use prevention; tool; usability; youngster