Evaluation of cognitive and behavioral effects of peer education model-based intervention to sun safe in children.

• Main Authors: Ping Hu, Lingli Han, Manoj Sharma, Huan Zeng, Yong Zhang, Hui Li, Yong Zhao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tehran University of Medical Sciences 2014-03-01
• Series: Iranian Journal of Public Health
• Subjects: Behavior; Children; China; Knowledge; Peer education; Sun safe
• Online Access: https://ijph.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijph/article/view/4194
• ISSN: 2251-6085; 2251-6093

There have been many studies that evidence the health hazards of sunlight exposure, but less study on sun safe intervention model, especially in China. Our aim was to evaluate the cognitive and behavioral effects of a peer education model-based intervention to sun safe in children.Cluster random control intervention was conducted in one district in Chongqing, China. Two primary schools, selected through stratified clustered sampling approach (two grades in each school, three classes in each grade) were designated as intervention (n=304) and control schools (n=305) randomly. 36 students, selected as peer educators in intervention group, were trained for one month. Educational activities such as discussions were organized by peer educator for one month. There was no sun safe education to participants in control school during the project period. The evaluation of changes of sun safe knowledge (the primary outcome), attitude and behavior (the secondary outcome measures) were conducted before intervention and at months of 0, 1 and 6 of the intervention to two groups using quantitative and qualitative methods.After the intervention, sun safe knowledge score which gained by the students from intervention group has been remarkably improved, compared to baseline survey (24.48±6.17 vs. 29.51±6.75) (P