The Native Comic Book Project

Comic books have long been used as an educational tool to improve and protect public health in the U.S. In 2008, the Native Comic Book Project (NCBP) was launched as a youth-focused community education project of Native People for Cancer Control; a National Cancer Institute funded Community Network Program Center, based at the University of Washington. The availability of cancer screening tests, high quality health care, encouragement for health promoting behaviors, and access to cancer clinical trials, are often not available to tribal communities. As a result, American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) experience the worst cancer related disparities and have the poorest survival rate among all other racial/ethnic groups.

The purpose of the NCBP is to get youth involved in creating comic books on health topic such as healthy living, tobacco use, cancer risk, disease prevention, and physical fitness, to ultimately reduce their cancer risk. Modeled after Dr. Michael Bitz’s The Comic Book Project, The NCBP has been adapted for AI/ANs, and incorporates Native storytelling and traditional ways of living. We are currently conducting a formal evaluation of the NCBP using pre- and post-intervention assessments to measure knowledge, habits, and decision-making regarding tobacco use, healthy eating, exercise habits, and human papilloma virus (HPV) among youth participants.