The Effect of Nurse Health Education and Follow-up Programme on Sun Protection

Approximately 25% of lifelong sun exposure is formed prior to the age of 18. A significant correlation between exposure to ultraviolet radiation in childhood and skin cancer in adulthood draws attention to the importance of sun protection behaviors to be applied in this period. School-age children are easily reachable to promote preventive health behaviors. The aim of the study is to determine the effect of nurse health education and follow up program on sun protection behaviors of children. The study as a randomized controlled group trial was implemented in February- October 2014. Purposive nonprobability sampling was used to select 25 schools in Izmir Karşıyaka district and research was conducted in two schools where attending the children coming from medium families. Risk assessment for skin cancer was performed by Fitzpatrick classification with 260 children before the study. Out of these children, 144 were found to be risky and were randomized to intervention (n = 40) and control (n = 40) groups according to their age, gender, and skin type. In the survey, the effect size was identified as 0.73 by a 5% error and 80% confidence. After obtaining the parents' and the children's written consent, data were collected through face-to-face interviews using, the instruments (stages of change, the decisional balance scale, child and parental sun protection behavior form, self-efficacy form) on sun protection based on the transtheoretical model. Turkish validity and reliability study of the scale was conducted by Aygün and Ergün (2013). The intervention group was trained about sun protection behaviors in six sessions. Each session lasted 45 minutes. Refresher training was organized on the 15th day, on 1st month 2nd month after the first session. At the beginning and at the end of the program, decisional balance and self-efficacy of children were evaluated. Data were analyzed by frequencies, regression, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, paired-samples t-test, independent samples t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, Friedman's test, and Chi-square test. Written consent was taken from children and their parents, schools, and the local ethics committee.