1Department of Nursing, Jinju Health College, Jinju, Korea. 2College of Nursing, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Korea. iskwon@gnu.ac.kr
Abstract
PURPOSE: This study was conducted to identify late school-aged children's knowledge, and practical will in the practice of cancer prevention lifestyle, and to examine the relations between these variables and factors that influence practice.
METHODS: The participants included 525 fifth and sixth grade students from 8 elementary schools in J and S cities. Data were collected in December 2008 using self-report questionnaires developed by the authors and were analyzed using the SPSS program.
RESULTS: Mean scores were, for knowledge of cancer prevention lifestyle, 0.76+/-0.11 out of a possible 1, practical will, 4.05+/-0.55 out of a possible 5, and practice, 3.66+/-0.41 also out of 5. There were differences in knowledge (F=4.39, p=.013), practical will (F=18.35, p<.001), and practice (F=29.13, p<.001) according to academic achievement and in practical will (F=3.68, p<.001) and practice (F=3.01, p=.003) according to grade. There were positive correlations between knowledge and practical will (r=.205, p<.001), knowledge and practice (r=.181, p<.001), practical will and practice (r=.628, p<.001). Practice will and knowledge of cancer prevention lifestyle showed a significant influence on practice.
CONCLUSION: Results of this study indicate that effective strategies should be developed to motivate the practical will for the practice of cancer prevention lifestyle during childhood.