Adolescent
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Poor health behaviors (e.g., poor diet, insufficient physical activity, and tobacco and alcohol use) in adolescents are common and often continue into adulthood, increasing adolescents' risk for developing non-communicable chronic diseases (e.g., cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes) in adulthood. While it is widely accepted that health decision-making in adults is influenced by health literacy, and low health literacy is associated with fewer preventive health behaviors, decreased medical adherence, and poorer ability to interpret health messages and read labels, there is limited research on how health literacy affects adolescents health decision-making. There are also limited measurement tools with which to assess health literacy in adolescents. Specifically, there are no objective measures of interactive, critical, and media health literacy. The goals of this project are to (1) develop and validate objective measures of interactive, critical, and media health literacy; (2) investigate the relationship between these critical aspects of health literacy and adolescents’ health behaviors; (3) determine the sex differences in health literacy and the relationship between health literacy and adolescents' health behaviors; (4) develop and evaluate interventions to determine if intervening on health literacy improves adolescents' health behaviors.
We are currently seeking high schools and youth-serving organizations to partner with on this project. Please contact Dr. Fleary at sasha.fleary@tufts.edu or 617-627-0588 or the Child Health Equity Research Lab at health@tufts.edu for more information.
We are currently seeking high schools and youth-serving organizations to partner with on this project. Please contact Dr. Fleary at sasha.fleary@tufts.edu or 617-627-0588 or the Child Health Equity Research Lab at health@tufts.edu for more information.