Enhancing cancer literacy among Appalachian Kentucky middle and high school students.

Abstract

11008 Background: Kentucky has the highest rates of overall cancer incidence and mortality in the United States and the Appalachian region of the state experiences the highest burden of the disease. Poor health behaviors, poverty, poor health care access, low education levels, and low health literacy drive the cancer disparities in Kentucky. Inadequate health literacy is associated with lower participation in preventive measures, which can increase one’s risk of developing cancer. Increasing cancer literacy among youth represents an opportunity to potentially decrease cancer disparities across Kentucky. In a recent study, we piloted a cancer education intervention in Kentucky middle and high schools to determine if such an intervention could enhance students’ cancer literacy. Through the study, we documented a significant increase in students’ short-term cancer literacy levels (Hudson L. et al. Journal of Cancer Education, in press). Methods: This quantitative survey research study aims to examine the long-term effects of the cancer education intervention on the cancer literacy of Kentucky middle and high school students. An online pretest cancer literacy survey consisting of 10 items was administered to a new set of 164 participants from six new schools, followed by the delivery of a cancer education presentation. Immediately following the presentation, participants took a posttest with identical items to the pretest. A follow-up identical test is being administered 3 months after the initial intervention to determine participants’ longer-term knowledge retention. Results: Replicating our prior work, significant (p < 0.0001) increases in both average and median percent of correctly marked items (average: pretest = 50% versus posttest = 77%; median: pretest = 50% versus posttest = 80%) and scores on each individual question were observed immediately following the intervention. Additionally, the average rating as to how the intervention influenced students considerations toward encouraging a family member or friend to change their habits following the intervention was 8 (1 = extremely unlikely;10 = extremely likely). Conclusions: This work demonstrates an increase in cancer literacy levels after the educational intervention and indicates that the information motivates participants to share cancer prevention information with others. A follow-up survey will measure participants’ longer term knowledge retention levels. These data may suggest that a school-based educational intervention can change behaviors that can lower cancer incidence and mortality rates.