Abstract
BackgroundOne of the main occupational hazards for seafarers is the long exposure to sunlight. This study aimed to determine the efficacy of a mobile phone-based text message intervention in adopting skin cancer preventive behaviors among a sample of seafarers in Genaveh port located in Bushehr province, Iran.MethodsIn this randomized controlled trial, 136 seafarers were randomly selected and assigned to the intervention (n = 68) or a control groups (n = 68). As a theoretical basis, we followed the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) variables to develop the text messages. The data related to PMT variables and skin cancer preventive behaviors were collected through a questionnaire. Forty-five text messages were designed, pre-tested and sent to the seafarers’ phones in the intervention group in 45 days. Both groups were followed up 1 month after the intervention. Data collected in the two stages were analyzed using paired-samples t-test, ANCOVA, and Chi-square tests.ResultsFollowing the intervention, the mean scores of adopting skin cancer preventive behaviors (p = 0.001), perceived self-efficacy (p = 0.01), protection motivation (p = 0.02), and fear (p = 0.001) were significantly higher in the intervention group than the control group. There was significant reduction in the response costs (p = 0.05) and perceived rewards (p = 0.01) scores in the intervention group compared with the control group after the intervention. However, there were no significant differences in the perceived vulnerability (p = 0.14), perceived severity (p = 0.09), and response efficacy (p = 0.64) between the two groups after the intervention.ConclusionsThe results of the study indicated the effectiveness of mobile phone-based text message intervention for increasing skin cancer preventive behaviors in Iranian seafarers.Trial registrationIranian Registry for Clinical Trial (the link to trial: https://www.irct.ir/trial/7572). Registered 16 July, 2016. Prospectively registered.
Highlights
One of the main occupational hazards for seafarers is the long exposure to sunlight
Our main hypothesis was that the mobile phone-based text message intervention would significantly increase the skin cancer preventive behaviors in the intervention group from pre-test to post-test compared to the control group
There were significant reductions in response costs and perceived rewards scores in the intervention group compared with the control group after the intervention
Summary
One of the main occupational hazards for seafarers is the long exposure to sunlight. This study aimed to determine the efficacy of a mobile phone-based text message intervention in adopting skin cancer preventive behaviors among a sample of seafarers in Genaveh port located in Bushehr province, Iran. The prevalence of the cancer has been increased in recent years [1]. The results of a study in Iran showed that the incidence of basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma has had an increasing trend in recent years. Solar radiation exposure is a health risk in several groups of workers employed in outdoor occupations permanently such as those who work at sea (e.g. fisherman and seafarers). These workers are identified as the group at risk for the development of skin cancer [4,5,6]. The percentages of the ambient exposure were estimated between 2.5 and 65.3% [6]
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