The Development of a Pediatric Health Risk Appraisal System is a Phase II Cancer Control effort in health promotion through lifestyle modification. The long term objective is the use of a computerized pediatric health risk appraisal to be self-administered in physician offices as a tool to motivate young parents to modify personal and family lifestyles toward health promotion, leading to the simultaneous acquisition of desired behaviors in two generations. Behavior modification strategies directed at the adult population have met with limited success because of, 1) the inherent difficulty to change long standing behaviors, and 2) the inability to identify a sufficient motivation for such change. It is assumed that, 1) the optimal time to motivate adults to provide a healthful family environment is when children are young, and 2 parental concern for the health of their children is sufficient motivation to accomplish this motivation. In Phase I, a questionnaire will be developed in association with a database to assess family behaviors in regard to direct risks to the children, and the implied risk should the children adopt parental behaviors. Targeted behaviors are smoking, nutrition, and fitness. These will then be incorporated into a self-administered computerized health risk appraisal system. Phase II involves field testing and evaluation of the Georgetown University Pediatric Risk Appraisal (GUPHRA) in pediatrician waiting areas. Criteria for success are discussed in anticipation of a Phase III Cancer Control proposal in which the GUPHRA will be accompanied by risk-reduction strategies believed to be effective in areas such as smoking, nutrition and exercise.
