ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To determine if intervention school students who received skills-based breast self-exam (BSE)/testicular self-exam (TSE) training were more likely than control school students to report higher intentions to perform BSE/TSE, greater BSE/TSE self-efficacy, and actual performance of BSE/TSE. METHODS: BSE/TSE behaviors, intentions, and self-efficacy were assessed in a high school-based trial (N = 6 schools; 3 schools randomized/condition) using self-reported data at 3 time points (N = 1058, 9 th grade students). RESULTS: At follow-up, intervention students had greater BSE/TSE intentions and self-efficacy than control students. Intervention students were more likely than control students to report monthly BSE (54.8% vs 27.2%, p = .031) and TSE (81.5% vs 31.4%, p = .010). CONCLUSIONS: Skills-based interventions with goal setting affect teenagers' self-examination behaviors, intentions, and self-efficacy. Teaching self-screening may empower teenagers to become more engaged in their preventive health, which may lead to improved health as they age.
Subject(s)
Breast Neoplasms/prevention & control , Health Education/methods , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Self-Examination/methods , Students , Testicular Neoplasms/prevention & control , Adolescent , Female , Humans , Male , SchoolsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Gender differences in reported family cancer history could reduce the effectiveness of genetic screening for cancer risk. METHODS: We randomized 6 schools to teach ninth graders about health genealogy through workshops or offered a delayed intervention. We assessed the effect of the intervention on reported family history of various cancers along with gender and side of the family from which cancer was reported. RESULTS: Girls reported more breast cancer in the family. Both sexes reported more maternal relatives with breast cancer. There were no treatment group effects. CONCLUSIONS: There are gender differences in reported family history of breast cancer.
Subject(s)
Family Health , Health Education/organization & administration , Medical History Taking , Schools , Breast Neoplasms/genetics , Breast Neoplasms/prevention & control , Colonic Neoplasms/genetics , Colonic Neoplasms/prevention & control , Female , Humans , Male , Patient Education as Topic , Prostatic Neoplasms/genetics , Prostatic Neoplasms/prevention & control , School Health Services/organization & administration , Sex Factors , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The Bridge to Better Health (BRIDGE) project is a program that focuses on providing rural high school youth with motivation, knowledge, and skills essential to cancer prevention. In this pilot intervention, we used instruction in personal health genealogy as a means of increasing awareness and knowledge of health risk and motivation to change several screening and cancer-related behaviors. METHODS: We administered a Bridge to Better Health survey to 173 ninth- and 10th-grade students from a rural Southeastern Virginia high school before and after delivery of the BRIDGE pilot intervention. RESULTS: Significant preintervention to postintervention changes were observed for general genealogy knowledge, personal health genealogy, self-efficacy, and intention to practice self-examinations (breast, testicular, and skin) and eating a high-fiber and low-fat diet. CONCLUSION: These project results demonstrate the importance of theory-driven interventions for increasing cancer knowledge and changing cancer-related dietary and screening behaviors.
