Peer education appears to be an effective means of achieving an increase in fruit and vegetable intake among lower socioeconomic, multicultural adult employees.
Importance
Mobile smart phones are rapidly emerging as an effective means of communicating with many Americans. Using mobile applications, they can access remote databases, track time and location, and integrate user input to provide tailored health information.
Objective
A smart phone mobile application providing personalized, real-time sun protection advice was evaluated in a randomized trial.
Design
The trial was conducted in 2012 and had a randomized pretest-posttest controlled design with a 10-week follow-up.
Setting
Data was collected from a nationwide population-based survey panel.
Participants
The trial enrolled a sample of n=604 non-Hispanic and Hispanic adults from the Knowledge Panel® aged 18 or older who owned an Android smart phone.
Intervention
The mobile application provided advice on sun protection (i.e., protection practices and risk of sunburn) and alerts (to apply/reapply sunscreen and get out of the sun), hourly UV Index, and vitamin D production based on the forecast UV Index, phone's time and location, and user input.
Main Outcomes and Measures
Percent of days using sun protection and time spent outdoors (days and minutes) in the midday sun and number of sunburns in the past 3 months were collected.
Results
Individuals in the treatment group reported more shade use but less sunscreen use than controls. Those who used the mobile app reported spending less time in the sun and using all protection behaviors combined more.
Conclusions and Relevance
The mobile application improved some sun protection. Use of the mobile application was lower than expected but associated with increased sun protection. Providing personalized advice when and where people are in the sun may help reduce sun exposure.
Importance
Mobile apps on smart phones can communicate a large amount of personalized,
real-time health information, including advice on skin cancer prevention, but their
effectiveness may be affected by whether Americans can be convinced to use them.
Objective
A smart phone mobile application delivering real-time sun protection advice was
evaluated for a second time in a randomized trial.
Design
The trial conducted in 2013 utilized a randomized pretest-posttest controlled
design. Screening procedures and a 3-week run-in period were added to increase use of
the mobile app. Also, follow-ups at 3- and 8-weeks after randomization were conducted to
examine immediate and longer-term effects.
Setting
Data was collected from participants recruited nationwide through online
promotions.
Participants
A volunteer sample of adults aged 18 or older who owned an Android or iPhone
smart phones.
Intervention
The mobile application gave feedback on sun protection (i.e., sun safety
practices and sunburn risk) and alerted users to apply/reapply sunscreen and get out of
the sun. Also, it displayed the hourly UV Index and vitamin D production based on the
forecast UV Index, time, and location.
Main Outcomes and Measures
Percent of days using sun protection and days and minutes outdoors in the
midday sun and number of sunburns in the past 3 months were assesed.
Results
Treatment group participants used wide-brimmed hats more at 7-weeks than
controls. Women who used Solar Cell reported using all sun protection
combined more than men but men and older individuals used sunscreen and hats less.
Conclusions and Relevance
The mobile application appeared to weakly improve sun protection initially. Use
of the mobile application was higher than in a previous trial and associated with
greater sun protection especially by women. Strategies to increase use are needed if the
mobile app is to be effective deployed to the general adult population.
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