The effect of training about skin cancer provided for students of maritime high school on their knowledge and behaviors

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of training about skin cancer provided for students, receiving education at maritime high school, on their knowledge and behaviors. The study had the quasi-experimental research pattern with pretest-posttest control group. Within the scope of the study, 389 students receiving education at Fettah Tamince Maritime Anatolian Vocational High School were included in the study group, and 178 students receiving education at Manavgat Commerce and Industry Chamber Maritime Anatolian Vocational High School were included in the control group between March 2013 and June 2013. Hypothesis "the training will increase the knowledge, attitude and behavior levels of students in the experimental group regarding skin cancer and protection from sun" was mainly examined. In the study, chi-square analysis, McNemar's, Kruskal Wallis, Mann Whitney U and t test were used to assess the data. At the end of the study, 43.6% of students were already informed about skin cancer and protection from sun, 59.6% of students in the study group and 48.3% of students in the control group had a medium level of risk and 76.9% of students had the highest risk of staying outside for more than an hour a day. While the knowledge mean score of students regarding skin cancer and protection from sun remained the same in the pretest (6.2±1.9) and posttest (6.8±1.9) that were performed in the control group, the knowledge mean score of students in the study group increased from 6.0±2.3 to 10.6±1.2 after the training. According to the pretest results of students in the study group, 25.4% had low and 62.2% medium level of knowledge, and there was no student at the low level in the posttest and 94.3% were at the high level. It was determined that students in the study group correctly answered knowledge questions, about the necessity for light-skinned people to pay an extra attention to the protection from sunburn, as well as the fact that UV lights causes skin cancer, a factor 10 sunscreens will not protect from the sun for 10 hours and the sun should be avoided between 10:00-16:00, in the posttest at the rate of 100%. Knowledge levels were higher in students of the 10th grade who were already informed about the subject, thought that they would be protected from the sun better, as well as students whose parents were high school graduates, fathers were craftsmen/self-employed, mothers were housewives and family income was equal to expenses. The training was effective and increased positively knowledge, attitude and behavior levels of students in the experimental group regarding skin cancer and protection from the sun. The trainings would bring convenient attitudes and behaviors in students, who are a member of the profession of maritime, start to form a lifestyle, develop life-long protection habits, will work outdoors in the future and are in the risk group, regarding the skin cancer and protection from sun. Thus, school health nurses are required to use the instructive and consultancy roles for students to acquire positive health behaviors.