Using Technology to Improve Clinical Counseling of Adolescent Risky Behaviors

The Phase II SBIR goal is to rigorously evaluate the web based counseling module Adolescent Counseling TechnologiesTobaccoACT TOBACT TOB provides virtual health education through interactivetechnology driven tobacco assessment and reduction counseling to adolescentsindividualized to their positive responses in the assessment as well as self reported stage of readiness to change their behaviorsA text message reminder component maintains user engagement and supports treatment adherenceProvision of this virtual health education system in primary care settings will improve adolescent care by overcoming barriers of healthcare provider timeskilland teen engagement when providing effective tobacco use reduction counselingThe ACT TOB was developed in Phase I and demonstrated feasible by both adolescent and healthcare provider user groupsIn Phase IIthe tool will be rigorously evaluated in anmonth randomized controlled trial withschool based health centersSBHCsintervention andcontroladolescents will receive the intervention or control based on the designation of the SBHC where they receive carewithreceiving the intervention of RAAPS and ACT TOB and the controlreceiving only RAAPSLong Term GoalThe ACT TOB will be used for broad dissemination of an effective and cost efficient web based tobacco screening and counseling program for use in health care settingsresulting in reductions in adolescent tobacco use and escalation and their associated health care costsPhase II HypothesisThe provision of ACT TOB to tobacco using adolescentsagedwill result in a significant and sustained lessening of tobacco useSpecific AimEvaluate the real world utility of ACT TOB in the lives of adolescents and healthcare providers who care for adolescentsSpecific AimEvaluate the success of ACT TOB in promoting smoking cessation in tobacco using adolescentsHealth Relatedness of ProjectThe success of the Phase II evaluation will result in a new model for risk counseling within healthcare settingsa web based module that provides interactivetechnology driven risk reduction counselingindividualized to adolescentsreadiness to change their tobacco use behaviorsand circumvents many of the challenges currently facing healthcare settings in the provision of risk assessment and tobacco cessation supportincluding limited timeclinical skills and confidenceand teen engagementLeveraging technology has been shown to help create a safe environment from which to engage adolescents a notoriously hard to reach population to disclose risky behaviorsThis disclosure is the critical first step in a trajectory of improved health outcomesasof tobacco addiction begins in adolescence