Most sun exposure occurs before the age of 20 and adoption of protective measures in childhood can reduce the lifetime incidence of skin cancer by 78%. Sun Safe Central™ and Adventures with the Shady Characters™ are companion multimedia programs targeting home-based child-care providers and the preschool children in their care. The programs will provide Web-based sun protection information and interactive tools for child-care providers and a CD-ROM with sun protection games, songs and other activities for children 3-5 years old. Formative evaluation for these products found that 79% of family child-care providers have computers in their child-care home, and 77% of those let the children in their care use that computer, primarily for educational activities. Providers reported high awareness and concern regarding sun protection, but routine sun protection practices varied. Shade seeking and sunscreen practices were most common (83-88%), and protective clothing and hat practices were far less common (24-67%). Prototype tests of both components found small, statistically significant changes in knowledge in both children and child care providers. In addition, providers reported significantly higher intended behaviors related to sunscreen use. Prototype testing used a one-group pre/post design with a brief (10-30 minute), one-time exposure to the products. While adequate for feasibility testing, these conditions are not ideal for evaluating product effectiveness with young children or in changing sun protection practices. The full product will be tested using a two-group randomized field test in which the products are used in the child-care home for one month.
Learning Objectives: Presentation attendees will be able to: 1. Describe one or more strategies for using the Internet and CD-ROM technologies for early childhood health education. 2. List at least three sun protection messages.
Keywords: New Technology, Cancer Prevention
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: HealthMark Multimedia, LLC
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Employment