Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2020 Jan;29(1):148-155.
doi: 10.1002/pon.5232. Epub 2019 Nov 10.

A pilot study of a telehealth family-focused melanoma preventive intervention for children with a family history of melanoma

Yelena P Wu  1   2 , Kenneth Boucher  2   3 , Nan Hu  2   3 , Jennifer Hay  4 , Wendy Kohlmann  2 , Lisa G Aspinwall  5 , Deborah J Bowen  6 , Bridget G Parsons  2 , Elizabeth S Nagelhout  7 , Douglas Grossman  1   2 , Kathi Mooney  2   8 , Sancy A Leachman  9 , Kenneth P Tercyak  10
Affiliations

A pilot study of a telehealth family-focused melanoma preventive intervention for children with a family history of melanoma

Yelena P Wu et al. Psychooncology. 2020 Jan.

Abstract

Objective: Melanoma preventive interventions for children with familial risk are critically needed because ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure and sunburn occurrence early in life are the primary modifiable risk factors for melanoma. The current study examined the feasibility and acceptability of a new, family-focused telehealth intervention for children with familial risk for melanoma and their parents. The study also explored changes in child sun protection and risk behaviors, sunburn occurrence, and objectively measured UVR exposure.

Methods: This was a prospective study with a single-group design (n = 21 parent-child dyads, children ages 8-17). Dyads were asked to participate in three in-person assessments and three live video teleconference intervention sessions.

Results: The intervention was feasibly delivered, and the intervention content was acceptable to parents and children. The intervention was associated with improvements in child use of certain sun protection strategies over time and declines in child UVR exposure.

Conclusions: A telehealth-delivered,family-focused melanoma preventive intervention was feasibly delivered and was acceptable to parent-child dyads. Future melanoma preventive interventions for this at-risk population could incorporate eHealth technologies to facilitate improvements in use of sun protection and monitoring of UVR exposure. This trial was registered with Clinicaltrials.gov, number NCT02846714.

Keywords: cancer; children; eHealth; family; intervention; melanoma; oncology; prevention; telehealth.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. Children’s trajectory of average weekly UVR exposure as measured by UVR monitors
Note. There were 8 weeks between pre- and post-intervention, and 4 weeks between post-intervention and one-month follow-up.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results Program. SEER Stat fact sheets: Melanoma of the skin. 2018; http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/melan.html. Accessed April 18, 2018.
    1. US Department of Health, and Human Services. The Surgeon General’s call to action to prevent skin cancer. Washington, DC: Department of Health and Human Services; 2014.
    1. Cho E, Rosner BA, Feskanich D, Colditz GA. Risk factors and individual probabilities of melanoma for whites. J Clin Oncol. 2005;23(12):2669–2675. - PubMed
    1. PDQ Screening and Prevention Editorial Board Skin cancer prevention (PDQ): Health professional version. Bethesda, MD: 2017.
    1. Balk SJ. Ultraviolet radiation: A hazard to children and adolescents. Pediatrics. 2011;127(3):e791–e817. - PubMed

Publication types

Substances

Associated data