Getting youth to Check it Out!®: a new approach to teaching self-screening.

OBJECTIVES

To determine if intervention school students who received skills-based breast self-exam (BSE)/testicular self-exam (TSE) training were more likely than control school students to report higher intentions to perform BSE/TSE, greater BSE/TSE self-efficacy, and actual performance of BSE/TSE.

METHODS

BSE/TSE behaviors, intentions, and self-efficacy were assessed in a high school-based trial (N = 6 schools; 3 schools randomized/condition) using self-reported data at 3 time points (N = 1058, 9 th grade students).

RESULTS

At follow-up, intervention students had greater BSE/TSE intentions and self-efficacy than control students. Intervention students were more likely than control students to report monthly BSE (54.8% vs 27.2%, p = .031) and TSE (81.5% vs 31.4%, p = .010).

CONCLUSIONS

Skills-based interventions with goal setting affect teenagers' self-examination behaviors, intentions, and self-efficacy. Teaching self-screening may empower teenagers to become more engaged in their preventive health, which may lead to improved health as they age.