A Preliminary Study of a Video Intervention to Inform Solid Organ Transplant Recipients About Skin Cancer

Abstract

Purpose To obtain preliminary evidence on the effect of a skin cancer prevention video for adult solid organ transplant recipients (SOTR) and informational brochures on outcomes of skin cancer knowledge, beliefs, prevention and detection behaviors, and personal agency (self-confidence/personal control) for behaviors. Background SOTR have a high risk of skin cancer potentiated by life-long immunosuppressive therapy posttransplantation. Skin cancer in SOTR is aggressive and difficult to treat. Prevention and early detection are important for reducing risk and improving skin cancer outcomes, but methods to inform SOTR about their risk are understudied. Methods A brief, evidence-based skin cancer informational video tailored to SOTR was evaluated using a quasi-experimental design that compared the outcome variables in two groups of SOTR seen in 4 transplantation clinics within 4–6 weeks posttransplantation. The video/brochure group (VBG) viewed the video once and received skin cancer information brochures. The brochure group (BG) received brochures only. Participants completed a survey on sun protection behavior (6 items; alpha = 0.75), personal agency (6 items; alpha = 0.64), beliefs (6 items; alpha = 0.60), skin cancer knowledge (6 items), and skin self-examination (SSE; 1 item) at baseline and 3 months postintervention. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and 2 × 2 analysis of variance. Results Of 113 participants, 90 completed both surveys (VBG, n = 46; BG, n = 44). Both groups had a significant increase in sun protective behavior (P < .001), skin cancer knowledge (P < .001), beliefs (P = .003), and personal agency (P = .003). There was no effect of either intervention on SSE. Conclusion Both interventions effectively informed SOTR about skin cancer and sun protection, promoted favorable beliefs, and improved personal agency, but were not differentially effective, suggesting that the addition of the video may not be necessary or that the video may need to be viewed more than once. More in-depth SSE teaching strategies may be necessary.

Effect of stimuli on sun protective habits: A randomized double‐blind controlled study

“…Our finding that both pictorial and textual‐based messages comparably improve intentions to sun protect is in keeping with prior studies that showed that both modalities could increase knowledge about sun damage . Of note, these earlier studies were conducted in a primarily Caucasian population, and our study population was mainly of Hispanic background.…”

“…Few studies have investigated this approach to promote sun protection. To our knowledge, only two studies to date have investigated the impact of visual stimuli on improving photoprotective behavior in a clinical setting, and both studied only organ transplant recipients . In one study, non‐Hispanic Black and Hispanic/Latino kidney transplant recipients developed a greater sense of personal susceptibility to skin cancer after viewing pictures of skin cancer occurring on individuals with similar skin type .…”

“…In one study, non‐Hispanic Black and Hispanic/Latino kidney transplant recipients developed a greater sense of personal susceptibility to skin cancer after viewing pictures of skin cancer occurring on individuals with similar skin type . In another, videos plus brochures and brochure‐only interventions improved photoprotective behavior among organ transplant recipients of mixed ethnicity (30% Hispanic/Latino) . However, the findings were not stratified by ethnicity and so the true effect of visual stimuli among ethnic populations is difficult to isolate.…”

Skin cancer knowledge and photoprotective practices of organ transplant recipients

“…While our data suggest that patients prefer to receive information verbally and through educational pamphlets, Trinh et al showed that video education is more effective than pamphlets at increasing patient knowledge. In contrast, a study by Loescher et al found both educational videos and informational brochures to be effective. Surber et al further demonstrated that the provision of free sunscreen and training regarding its appropriate application resulted in significantly improved photoprotective practices, regardless of general photoprotection education .…”

Comparison of pre‐ and post‐transplant sun‐safe behavior of kidney transplant recipients: What is needed to improve?

“…There are also a limited number of websites that contain information for OTRs regarding proper sun protection methods, increased skin cancer risk, and self‐skin examinations . Information on diverse educational methods has been published in recent years, and these methods have been reported to be variably successful in influencing sun‐safe behavior in OTRs …”