The St. Jude Cancer Education for Children Program Pilot Study: Determining the Knowledge Acquisition and Retention of 4th-Grade Students.
In 2006, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital began developing a school-based outreach program known as the St. Jude Cancer Education for Children Program (SJCECP). The program aimed to teach children about cancer and healthy habits that can prevent the formation of cancers into adulthood. During the 2010-2011 academic years, we conducted a pilot evaluation of the SJCECP curriculum, with the primary objective of evaluating the impact of the intervention on knowledge acquisition and retention among 4th-grade students participating in the program. Seven local schools and 481 students from the Memphis area participated in the program evaluation. The results of this study show that 4th-grade students are able to acquire gains in knowledge related to cells, cancer, and healthy living after receiving the SJCECP intervention. We conclude that the program can be a useful tool for improving knowledge of cancer concepts at the 4th-grade level.
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA. Kate.Ayers@stjude.org.
Katherine
K
Ayers
George Washington Cancer Institute, 2030 M Street NW Suite 4003, Washington, DC, 20052, USA.
Aubrey Van Kirk
AV
Villalobos
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA.
Zhenghong
Z
Li
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA.
Matthew
M
Krasin
D002648:Child; D003479:Curriculum; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015438:Health Behavior; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012574:Schools; D013334:Students
Cancer Education; Education; Health Education; Healthy Lifestyles; School Program