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Hindi Research Article
Examining New Media as an Innovative Substance Abuse and HIV/AIDS Prevention Protocol in a Resource Poor Community
Pauline Garcia-Reid*, Robert J Reid, David T Lardier Jr. and LeeAnn Mandrillo
Department of Family Science and Health Department and The Robert D. McCormick Center for Child Advocacy and Policy, Montclair State University, USA
- *Corresponding Author:
- Pauline Garcia-Reid
Associate Professor
Department of Family and Child Studies
College of Education and Human Services and The Robert D. McCormick and Child Advocacy
College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ, USA
Tel: + 973 655 6846
Fax: 973 655 6795
E-mail: garciareidp@mail.montclair.edu
Received Date: August 19, 2016; Accepted Date: September 21, 2016; Published Date: September 28, 2016
Citation: Reid PG, Reid RJ, Lardier DT Jr., Mandrillo LA (2016) Examining New Media as an Innovative Substance Abuse and HIV/AIDS Prevention Protocol: Evidence from a University Community Partnership. J Addict Res Ther 7:296. doi:10.4172/2155-6105.1000296
Copyright: © 2016 Garcia-Reid P, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Abstract
Objective: This case study describes the benefits and challenges of introducing health prevention messages that incorporate new media strategies targeting African American and Hispanic/Latino teens and young adults from Paterson, New Jersey, a disproportionately resource poor, urban, community. Methods: New media platforms were utilized to raise awareness and educate our target audience on the many facets of substance abuse and HIV/AIDS prevention. This was accomplished by highlighting current events; broadcasting services available; providing general prevention education; and creating opportunities for personal interaction such as chat features, polling, pledges, and other forms of interactivity. Results: Our investigation found that social media increased the reach of prevention messaging within and beyond the focal community, improved community collaborations and communication, and connected young people to health promotion services including testing sites. Conclusion: Evidence from this investigation has found that new media technology has the potential to bolster the effects of prevention messaging. However, in many at-risk urban communities, new media technologies should be part and parcel of a broader prevention approach.
