The impact of public education videotapes on knowledge about cancer.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study was to evaluate, in terms of content and medium, the ability of a videotaped information series to increase the general public's knowledge of cancer.


METHODS
In the first phase of the intervention, the videotapes were screened by focus groups, who rated them for length, design, style, and content. In phase two of the study, the videotapes were shown to three random samples of the general population. A portion of each sample was asked to complete a knowledge-survey instrument without viewing the videotapes; a portion was asked to view the tapes before completing the survey instrument.


RESULTS
Survey results showed that those who viewed the videotapes had higher knowledge-of-cancer scores than those who did not.


CONCLUSIONS
Community focus groups are inclined to accept cancer information from mediated sources other than those traditionally cited such as physicians and other health professionals.
Wilson
J L
JL
Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ohio State University, Columbus, USA.
Stein
D S
DS
D000328:Adult; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013664:Teaching Materials / Q000592:standards*; D014743:Videotape Recording / Q000592:standards*