Information Vaccine: Using Graphic Novels as an HIV/AIDS Prevention Resource for Young Adults

摘要

HIV/AIDS infections are growing at an alarming rate for young adults. In 2009, youth, ages 13-29, accounted for 39% of all new HIV infections in the U.S. (Division of HIV/ AIDS Prevention, Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 2011). South Carolina ranks eighth in the nation for new HIV cases, while the capital city of Columbia ranks seventh (Carolina Teen Health, 2012). Education and prevention efforts are needed to raise young adults' awareness of HIV/AIDS issues in order to reduce this troubling trend. To address this need, the researchers and a graphic illustrator worked with incarcerated students age 15-19 in the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice School District, to develop an age-appropriate, culturally-diverse graphic novel on HIV/AIDS, entitled AIDS in the End Zone. Phase I of the project was to create the novel. Once Phase I was completed, Phase II of the project began. During this phase, graphic novel book club interventions were held with young adults in public libraries in Columbia, South Carolina to measure knowledge gains and impact from reading the graphic novel. The purpose of this phase was to examine the role that graphic novels can play as a resource for increasing HIV/AIDS awareness among young adults. Phase II was funded by the 2013 ALISE Research Grant. The findings of the study are reported here. This study is the first of its kind to provide scientifically-based research that examines whether or not graphic novels can be an effective HIV/AIDS prevention tool for young adults. Implications for LIS education are discussed.