Pilot-testing a cancer education curriculum for grades K-6.
Risk behaviors established during childhood including tobacco use, sunning, and eating habits contribute to most adult cancers. This project pilot-tested a developmentally appropriate cancer prevention curriculum for grades K-6, using a treatment group only design with pretesting and posttesting using a standardized, semistructured interview and involving 67 students (77% of eligible students) attending mixed grade classes. A seven-unit curriculum based on cognitive development, social cognitive, and social influence theories was taught by classroom teachers. Students showed a significant (p < .0001) gain in conceptual understanding for causality and prevention of cancer; the gain for causality of cancer was comparable to the baseline difference between kindergarten and the highest (5-6) grade. Significant gains in factual knowledge and decreases in misconceptions about casual contact also were documented. A developmentally based elementary school cancer prevention curriculum can enhance young children's conceptual understanding and factual knowledge of common contributors to adult cancers.
Yale Cancer Center of Yale University School of Medicine, Yale University School of Nursing, Dept. of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar St., PO Box 208064, New Haven, CT 06520-8064, USA. David.Schonfeld@yale.edu
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D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003210:Concept Formation; D003479:Curriculum / Q000592:standards*; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008389:Marketing of Health Services; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000592:standards; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012572:School Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D012574:Schools; D013663:Teaching