Science Take-Out Kits for Improving Environmental Health Literacy on Vaping

ABSTRACT This supplement project will expand on our current STTR Phase I project in which we partnered with University of Rochesterandapos;s Environmental Health Sciences Center to develop three Science Take-Out vaping education kits. Our vaping education kits involve students in using hands-on activities and real-life scenarios to investigate the harmful effects of chemicals used in e-cigarette flavorings and vaping devices and the potential contribution of vaping to lung disease. E-cigarettes are the most commonly-used tobacco product for both high school and middle school-aged students. Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, a highly addictive substance. Nicotine is particularly dangerous to teens, because their brains have not fully developed. Nicotine can cause issues with brain function, leading to problems with focus, memory, and learning. This supplement project will develop and pilot test two new vaping education kits related to the biology of nicotine addiction and nicotine toxicity. During this supplement project, we will:1. Collaborate with University of Rochesterandapos;s Environmental Health Sciences Center to develop twoScience Take-Out vaping education kits related to nicotine2. Conduct focus groups for school-based and community-based educators to evaluate prototypes ofthe kits3. Pilot test the kits in school-based and community-based settings These new vaping education kits will combine the ease-of-use features of Science Take-Out kits. The kits will use hands-on, scenario-based activities that increase peopleandapos;s awareness of the biology of nicotine addiction and nicotine toxicity and the health risks related to e-cigarettes use. The “lab in a bag” design of Science Take-Out kits will make these hand-on science activities easy, economical and convenient for educators to use in a wide variety of school-based and community-based settings.RELEVANCE TO PUBLIC HEALTH The relevance of this project to public health is that the Science Take-Out kits developed and used in this project will provide school-based and community-based educators with access to hands-on, engaging educational materials on the health effects of nicotine addiction and toxicity related to e-cigarette use (vaping). Individuals who use these Science Take-Out kits will become better informed on decisions involving their health.