Native WYSE CHOICES

Name: Native WYSE CHOICES
Author: University of Colorado Denver

University of Colorado Denver

DOCUMENTED

Published in academic literature

For:General Public & EnthusiastsKids & Youth

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App Summary

Native WYSE CHOICES is a culturally-centered app for urban American Indian and Alaska Native young women designed to prevent alcohol-exposed pregnancies by promoting messages of strength and resilience. Based on qualitative interviews (N=29), the app was co-designed with youth to ensure cultural relevance, and its effectiveness is now being evaluated in a virtual randomized controlled trial. The associated research concludes that centering community voices is a key strategy for developing trusted and meaningful health interventions for this population.

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Detailed Description

Functionality & Mechanism

Native WYSE CHOICES is a mobile health (mHealth) intervention designed to prevent alcohol-exposed pregnancies among urban American Indian and Alaska Native young women. The system delivers a culturally-tailored curriculum, adapted with direct input from the target community to integrate messages of strength and resiliency. The intervention arm provides approximately three hours of pedagogical content focused on sexual health, alcohol use, and informed decision-making, while a comparison arm delivers alternative health content for research purposes.

Evidence & Research Context

The intervention's efficacy is being evaluated in a national, virtual randomized controlled trial (RCT) with urban American Indian and Alaska Native young women aged 16-20.
A qualitative design study (N=29) guided the app's cultural adaptation, affirming the importance of community-centered development and pan-tribal cultural elements to enhance relevance.
The platform has been utilized as a research tool to recruit participants for related qualitative studies (N=15) examining contextual factors impacting alcohol-exposed pregnancy risk.

Intended Use & Scope

This application is intended for use by young urban American Indian and Alaska Native women as a primary prevention tool for alcohol-exposed pregnancies. It functions as a culturally-resonant educational resource to support behavioral health and decision-making. The system is not a substitute for professional medical advice, substance use treatment, or mental health consultation.

Studies & Publications

3 publications

Peer-reviewed research associated with this app.

Qualitative Study

Alcohol-Exposed Pregnancy Risk, Mental Health, Self-Understanding, and Relational Connections Among Urban Native American Young Women During the COVID-19 Pandemic

London et al. (2025) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Interviews revealed how the pandemic affected young women's alcohol use, sexual health, mental health, and relationships.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a disproportionate impact on American Indian and Alaska Native ("Native") communities, including factors impacting alcohol-exposed pregnancy (AEP) risk. This is especially true for young Native women in urban settings, where over 70% of the population resides, yet their experiences are rarely accounted for in research. We conducted remote in-depth interviews from March to May 2022, roughly concurrent with the Omicron

Study Protocol

A virtual randomized controlled trial of an alcohol exposed-pregnancy prevention mobile app with urban American Indian and Alaska Native young women: Native WYSE CHOICES rationale, design, and methods

Sarche et al. (2023) · Contemporary Clinical Trials

Research study planned or in progress; results not yet available

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) result in lifelong disability and are a leading cause of preventable birth defects in the US, including for American Indian and Alaska Natives (AIANs). Prevention of alcohol exposed pregnancies (AEPs), which can cause FASD, is typically aimed at adult women who are risky drinkers and have unprotected sex. Among AIANs, AEP prevention research has been primarily conducted in reservation communities, even

In the Media

Study Recruitment Effort Grows Into a Public Health Tool to Reach Young American Indian/Alaska Native Women

Researchers at the Colorado School of Public Health's Centers for American Indian and Alaska Native Health developed Native WYSE CHOICES to prevent alcohol-exposed pregnancies among young American Indian/Alaska Native women using social media and mobile application technology. "When Carol and I talked about using social media to recruit young women, we thought we might create a few Facebook ads," said co-principal investigator Michelle Sarche, PhD, noting "This has turned into so much more than a space for recruiting people for the study." The five-year study is funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and has evolved into a comprehensive public health tool delivering empowerment messages through Instagram.

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