Interactive computer technology for skin cancer prevention targeting children

Background: Computer technology has become an integral part of health care, yet there have been few studies exploring the use of multimedia technology in the prevention of cancer, especially targeting children. Objective: The aims of this study were to develop and evaluate a new multim edia computer program for the primary prevention of skin cancer among a chi ldhood population. Design and Participants: An interactive CD-ROM program was developed, then pilot tested in a public elementary school in rural North Carolina. This in tervention trial involved 8 third- and fourth-grade classes (N = 209 studen ts), randomized into 3 groups: computer intervention, standard teacher-led intervention, and controls. Main Outcome Measures: Students were tested using pre- and postintervention surveys that measured knowledge, attitudes, and self-reported behaviors. A 7-month follow-up survey was performed. Results: There was a significant increase in postintervention knowledge for the computer group when compared to either the teacher-led or control grou ps (mean scores out of 100: 75.2, 59.5, 55.0, respectively; p < 0.001). Att itudes about suntanning demonstrated a significant difference between the 3 groups (mean scores out of 100: 64.0, 53.0, 48.6, respectively; p = 0.002) . There were slight improvements in the behavioral scores, especially among the computer group, but the overall differences were not significant. Simi lar overall results were found for the long-term follow-up survey, except t hat attitudes about suntanning no longer demonstrated a significant differe nce. Conclusion: These results indicate that this new educational tool is an eff ective way to introduce health education programs for young children in typ ical classroom settings. This prototype may serve as a model for the develo pment of future preventive school-based programs, including applications to other conditions associated with high-risk behaviors among children.