Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #112348

Doris Segal Matsunaga, MPH¹, Karen Ululani Loebl, BA¹, Diane B. Mitschke, MSW², Elitei Tatafu Jr¹, and Hali Robinett, MPH². (1) Health Education, Kalihi-Palama Health Center, 915 North King Street, Honolulu, HI 96701, (2) Cancer Research Center of Hawaii, Cancer Information Service—Pacific Region, 1236 Lauhala Street, Honolulu, HI 96791, (808) 586-5853, dmitschke@crch.hawaii.edu

In multi-ethnic Hawai'i, two thirds of high school students and almost 40 percent of middle students have tried smoking. Further, 16% of middle school girls and 10% of middle school boys in Hawaii are considered regular smokers. Effective strategies to prevent smoking among Asian and Pacific Islander (API) youth have not been well documented; however, innovative interventions such as drama offer promise in promoting youth behavior change. A tobacco prevention drama was developed for multi-ethnic API middle school youth in Hawai‘i, through a collaborative effort by a community health center (Kalihi-Palama Health Center), the Cancer Information Service—Pacific Region, and the Hawai'i Tobacco Trust Fund. The development process included conducting focus groups, hiring and providing tobacco education to a young API playwright and actors, and piloting performances with targeted youth. The play, “Crossroads,” features a soap opera-style drama interspersed with humorous vignettes and multi-media effects. Initial findings from pre/post tests indicate the drama has an impact upon audience knowledge, attitudes and intended behavior, including a change in future intent to smoke cigarettes and the ability of audience members to develop connections with the characters in the play and apply concepts that are presented in the play to their own lives.

Learning Objectives: