The development of health education of cancer prevention guideline for children and youth

Abstract

This study aimed to develop a cancer prevention education guideline for children and youth by applying Participatory Action Research (PAR) under the framework of the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion. The study focused on three key strategies: developing personal skills, reorienting health services, and promoting community participation, to enhance health literacy from an early age. The target population consisted of 6,360 primary and secondary students from five schools, 60 teachers and 10 staff. The research process comprised four phases: (1) studying the current situation of cancer-related knowledge and existing educational approaches in schools, (2) developing the educational guideline by designing age-appropriate activities such as multimedia, storybooks, songs, games, and the “5 Do and 5 Don’t” cancer prevention concept, (3) implementing the developed guideline in target schools, and (4) evaluation. The research tool consisted of; questionnaires, pre- and post-knowledge assessments, and satisfaction surveys.

Results; The students’ knowledge increased from 73% to 97% after participating in the activities, and satisfaction reached 100%. The developed guideline was found to be effective and appropriate for each age group, and it can be adapted and expanded for use in other educational settings to promote sustainable health behavior change among school-aged children and youth.