Cancer prevention for adolescents focuses on tobacco use and diet as two risk behaviors. This Phase I SBIR project will establish the feasibility of integrating state-of-the-art multimedia (interactive video, computer animation) into existing award-winning software, The Body Awareness Resource Network (BARN). BARN was developed at the University of Wisconsin (1981-88) to provide health promotion information and skill-building activities directly to adolescents on a computer. Evaluation has shown BARN provides positive health impacts for adolescents who use the six modules: AIDS, Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD), Human Sexuality, Smoking, Stress Management, and Body Management (Diet). Learning Multi-Systems, Inc. (the applicant company) has published BARN since 1986, and found strong acceptance and enthusiasm for it. New technology offers the opportunity to increase BARN's impact as a teen resource for health behavior change and important cancer prevention strategies. During Phase I , for the Smoking and Diet programs, we will 1) update prevention information, 2) focus on writing/story-boarding multimedia sequences, 3) develop multimedia approaches for two sections, and 4) conduct usability testing with representative adolescents. Phase II of the project would complete the development of multimedia approaches and develop a CD-ROM version of BARN that would be tested in representative middle and high schools.
