The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #41478

Rhonda N.S. Siegel, MSEd, Injury Prevention Program, Office of Community and Public Health, New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, 6 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH 03301, 603-271-4700, rsiegel@dhhs.state.nh.us

“Violence in video games: A call to action” was a yearlong health promotion campaign sponsored by the New Hampshire Coalition on Media Violence. Studies have established the association between exposure to violence in entertainment media and aggressive behavior by viewers. Research on violent video games suggests similar effects on game players, with potential for even greater harm due to their interactive nature. The campaign had multiple objectives: Educate citizens on the physical and mental health effects of violent video games, the video game rating system, and the industry’s marketing of video games to children. Financial and technical support to four community projects, which included parents and their children. Encourage retailers to prevent the sale of mature games to children through policy development and enforcement. Implement these activities through a collaborative, statewide coalition. Young investigators, ages 8-14, visited sixteen national retailers, with policies in place requiring sales to conform to ratings code, to attempt to purchase mature-rated games. The results of this field research were released to the press, and a letter sent to the store’s manager. A conference was held, targeted to health care professionals and teachers. The funded projects all included a learning component and the development and dissemination of a product (family action plan, television show, community questionnaire). Results are preliminary but will include finished products, numbers reached, pre and post intervention surveys, and a process evaluation. All results will be in by May of 2002 and presented at the conference.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the poster session, the participant will be able to

• Describe the components of a multifaceted public education/health promotion campaign on the issue of violence in video games. 2.Articulate violence in video games as a public health issue.
• Recognize effective strategies that are outcome-based.
• Identify opportunities and strategies to replicate the program.
• Identify three characteristics for a successful local or statewide coalition.

Keywords: Media, Public Health Education and Health Promotion

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.