A Sun Protection Community Intervention in Quincy Middle Schools

Abstract

There are no successful sun protection strategies proven to reduce sunburn incidence among adolescents. Our objective was to evaluate the impact of ultraviolet (UV) photographs on motivating adolescents to improve sun protection practices and reduce sunburn rates. We designed an intervention in a community setting and recruited middle school students (aged 11Y13 years) from the Northeast. There were 111 students who completed the study, 83 in the intervention school and 28 in the control school. All students received a sun protection lecture. Students in the intervention group received a UV photograph of their face, with detailed explanations of the findings at baseline. Follow-up surveys at 2 and 6 months were obtained. Outcome measures included attitudes and behavior relating to sun protection practices. The impact of specialized photography on teens' sun protection attitudes was assessed by risk status, recent sunburn experience, and possession of UV photographs. In both schools, the rate of sunburn was high, with almost half experiencing one or more summer sunburns. A majority of students in the intervention group kept their UV photographs and found it helpful in assessing their skin cancer risk. Students with many or a lot of facial freckles in the intervention group were significantly less likely to report a sunburn at 2 (p G .004) and 6 months (p G .0004) as compared with students in the control school. The use of UV photographs among teens could help motivate them to protect themselves and limit the number of sunburns.S kin cancer is the most common cancer in our society, and overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) light in childhood is a major risk factor. Individuals with light eyes, pale skin, freckling tendency, multiple nevi, or family histories of skin cancer are at greatest risk (Maguire-Eisen, 2003). There will be over 1 million new cases of skin cancer diagnosed this year. Despite public health recommendations to protect children from sun damage, studies indicate that we are quite ineffective in this regard. Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, has increased among pediatric patients by 3% per year VOLUME 1 | NUMBER 2 |

Sun damage in ultraviolet photographs correlates with phenotypic melanoma risk factors in 12-year-old children

“…This study is the first to report this finding in a large population of children, and the results validate the use of UV photography as a measure of sun damage corresponding to known melanoma risk factors. Since photographs showing more apparent sun damage likely have greater impact on behavior, 14 we believe that sun protection interventions incorporating UV photography are likely to have a greater effect on those at higher risk for melanoma.…”

“…Highlighting current individual damage on the participant’s face is particularly effective compared to less specific educational efforts. 7-14 When combined with information explaining the role of sun exposure in photoaging, UV photography has helped reduce college students’ intentions to tan, actual tanning behavior and measured skin tan (using a colorimeter) as much as one year post intervention. 7,11 The intervention has also been shown to reduce sunburns in Middle school students aged 11-13 years old with many facial freckles two and six months post intervention.…”

“…7,11 The intervention has also been shown to reduce sunburns in Middle school students aged 11-13 years old with many facial freckles two and six months post intervention. 14 While sun exposure is often motivated by a belief that tanning improves appearance, this intervention capitalizes on the role of sun light in causing wrinkles, mottled pigmentation, skin laxity, atrophy, elastosis and telangiectasias. 15 The photographs make sun damage immediately apparent before it is otherwise discernible.…”

Perspectives of paddy workers regarding the use of sunscreen: a theory-based qualitative research

“…Currently skin cancer is considered one of the most frequent types of cancers [1]. The annual frequency of malign dermal in the US is about 3% [2].…”