Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Sun exposure is common among teenagers but teenagers also have poor sun protection strategies. Sun exposure during adolescence or teenage years is associated with an increased risk of skin cancer later in life. Research suggests that adolescence and childhood are optimal periods to provide information regarding skin cancer and implement a primary prevention program. This project investigates whether or not providing education on skin cancer and safe sun behaviors increases knowledge among high school freshman at a rural Midwestern High School.

METHODS: Pretests/posttests were administered to students before education was provided and after education was provided. The pretest/posttest was a 15 question test that consisted of multiple choice or true/false questions regarding skin cancer and safe sun behavior knowledge. A dependent samples t-test was used for data analysis with a level of significance of 0.05. Data was analyzed as an aggregate, by analyzing a mean pre-test score of all individuals to the mean post-test score of all individuals.

RESULTS: There were 27 participants in this project from which both a pretest and posttest were obtained. There was a significant difference in the scores of before education (M= 10.6, SD= 1.92) and after education (M=14.1, SD=0.91) conditions t(26)=12.16, p=0.00.

CONCLUSION: The results/findings of this project were significant and revealed that providing education modules about skin cancer and safe sun behaviors to high school freshman increased knowledge of skin cancer and safe sun behaviors among this population.

Author Details

Kelsie S. Scheer, DNP(c)

Sigma Membership

Unknown

Lead Author Affiliation

Nebraska Methodist College, Omaha, Nebraska, USA

Type

DNP Capstone Project

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

Other

Research Approach

Translational Research/Evidence-based Practice

Keywords:

Safe Skin Behaviors, Students, High School, Health Knowledge--In Adolescence, Health Behavior--In Adolescence, Health Education--In Adolescence, Sunlight--Adverse Effects--In Adolescence, Environmental Exposure--Prevention and Control--In Adolescence, Skin Neoplasms--Prevention and Control--In Adolescence, Health Knowledge, Health Behavior, Health Education, Sunlight--Adverse Effects, Environmental Exposure--Prevention and Control, Environmental Exposure, Skin Neoplasms--Prevention and Control, Skin Neoplasms

Advisor

Johnson, Karen

Degree

DNP

Degree Grantor

Nebraska Methodist College

Degree Year

2017

Rights Holder

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All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository.

All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.

Review Type

Faculty Approved: Degree-based Submission

Acquisition

Self-submission

Full Text of Presentation

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