LA ESPERANZA DEL VALLE - ALCOHOL PREVENTION NOVELAS FOR HISPANIC YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES

With extensive Hispanic community involvement, a television, radio, an d storybook novela were developed to improve Hispanic parent-youth com munications and youth attitudes regarding alcohol. Focus groups with t he target audiences determined the novelas' concentration on alcohol, their medium and language of choice for Hispanic youth versus parents, and the health messages and cultural values to be portrayed. Reaction s to the novelas were obtained via self-report surveys, random street interviews, radio listener call-ins, and community group meetings. Fav orable reactions were obtained regarding the novelas' cultural sensiti vity and appropriateness, and their potential to affect future behavio r change. The affect of the television novela on Hispanic youth was ev aluated by a pre-post self-report survey administered to middle and hi gh school students. Survey results indicated the television novela may have had some positive impact on Hispanic youth attitudes and behavio ral intentions regarding alcohol. The evaluation time line was limitin g, however, and further evaluation is required.