Coming close to the wire. *warning: lengthy post due to lack of updates*

It has been too long since my last post and since then, I've been thrown a curve ball. Coming into this project, I pretty much imagined that I was going to make an informational poster, but as things go sometimes, I hit a wall.

There are enough awareness posters in existence, though actually there are practically none in San Jose.

Anyways. How do you motivate people to test for HBV? I don't know if I'm just a pessimist, but you can't make them. I have to honestly admit that even though I'm doing all of this research on HBV, I don't feel motivated to get tested or vaccinated. That's so horrible of me.

But the facts are there if you're willing to look it up. HBV is a big deal within the Vietnamese community. Actually the Asian and Pacific Island community in general (though it does hit the Vietnamese population pretty hard). Liver cancer is the leading cause of death for Vietnamese men. Sometimes you just look at statistics and numbers and you feel so detached from that number. It's just a number. It means nothing to me. Should you be listing names? Would that cause us to react differently? How come no one cares about anything really until it happens to them?

Carrying on, so the question is how do I deliver my message? I literally have 20 tabs open and I'm pouring through all of my sources over and over just to find that little answer. Well, eventually I stumbled across it. The doctors. Actually, I've discussed this with my panel member, but I wasn't too interested in it at that moment.

I've found several articles stating that not all doctors are aware of the disparity rate of HBV infections between APIs (Asian and Pacific Island) and the rest of the general population. While HBV rates are low in the US in comparison to that worldwide, 60% of the cases are APIs. There is a discomforting amount of doctors that right out don't test for HBV. I know you're supposed to your own best health advocate, but honestly people are not well informed enough to make decisions on their health. Not everyone can pick up those books that teach you how to be your own advocate. So is it wrong to push doctors to test their API patients for HBV and perhaps everything else? People don't need to contract HBV or unknowingly live with HBV. People don't need to get liver cancer and die because of HBV.

Well, at the moment there's just not enough funding and attention on HBV,  just like everything else. I was speaking to my panel of expert and he told me they needed 3-5 million dollars to be able to put up billboards and posters. I read in an article that the organization in SF paid $10,000 for a 10 second air to play everyday for A SINGLE WEEK.

There's something not right about that. When I'm at bus stops, yeah sometimes I see a health awareness ads, but most of the time they're for cell phones or deodorants.

Final Problem and Purpose Statement

Problem:
Due to the lack of awareness and promotion, there is a high rate of Hepatitis B within
the Vietnamese population.
Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to research and develop awareness on Hepatitis B within
in the Vietnamese community of San Jose, California.

Update?

Are we supposed to update on the progress of our project? Does anyone really look at these blogs? (Aside from Professor Noble of course).

Anyways, onwards.

After a week of no replies from my selected panel of experts, the emails are starting to roll in. Exciting.

I was initially worried about having no "experts", but now I have several people willing to help out. My worry has now moved on to "what to ask them". I don't want them to feel like they're wasting their time with these simple questions.

Well that's why I research a butt load. Anyways.

PERT Chart

DAI 505 Timeline

problem & purpose

 Problem Statement: There is a high infant mortality rate within the African American population in the Alameda county.
Purpose Statement: The purpose of this study was to identify factors contributing to high infant mortality rates within the African American population in the Alameda county and develop methods to increase awareness within the community.


Problem Statement: There is a high rate of Hepatitis B among the Vietnamese population, but not enough outreach or informational material.
Purpose Statement:  The purpose of this study was to develop informational material to spread awareness on Hep B within the Vietnamese community.


Problem Statement: The nutritional labels on food packaging is difficult for people to understand.
Purpose Statement: The purpose of this study was to research and develop a simpler type of nutritional labels for people to understand.

introduction.

My name is April Truong and I am a Visual Communications student. My design interests are motion graphics and web design. I love movies, but I'm not quite an aficionado. 

I draw inspiration from pop culture, movies, t.v. shows, title sequences, comics, design/art from now and then, etc. I also get some of my creative kicks from Guillermo del Toro, Tarsem Singh, David Fincher, Kyle Cooper, Rob Sheridan, J.H. Williams III, and Mike Mignola. I am definitely one of those who "judge books by their covers". If I don't find something visually stunning, I tend to have a hard time getting on board.

One thing that influences me to be a designer is definitely title sequences. It was probably the intro for Juno that made me want to design title sequences. I also love all of Saul Bass' designs.

After graduation, I'm planning to pursue more digital media classes at my local community college. And as of now, I have no idea what is in store for me professionally. I know I definitely want to work on motion graphics for movies, t.v. shows, or anything really. I think in general I just want to work on something that involves storytelling.

various screen shots from the title sequence of scott pilgrim

 
6 Words: Neurotic, Introspective, Observant, Nocturnal, Unorganized, Worker