Elderly women and men are at higher risk for developing skin cancers, as a result of their increased cumulative exposure to ultra-violet radiation, and their depressed immune system functioning relative to younger persons. Interactive multimedia materials providing information about skin lesions and teaching early detection skills will be developed for target groups of elderly. Social cognitive principles and social marketing techniques will be incorporated in the program to engage, motivate, educate, and maintain behavioral change in older adults. Focus group and individual interviews will be used in the development and pilot-testing of the educational materials. Program content will include information about risk factors for skin cancers, strategies for promoting skin examinations, examples of pre-cancerous and cancerous lesions, and techniques for self examination and examination of the skin of others. Both videodisc and CD-ROM storage media will be tested. Qualitative and quantitative research techniques will be used in the creation, formative evaluation, and revision of teaching materials. A summative evaluation examining the effectiveness of the program and the cost-benefit characteristics of the product will take place during the next phase of the research.
