Effectiveness of Sun Protection Interventions Delivered to Adolescents in a Secondary School Setting: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Aim. The aim of this systematic review is to summarise the evidence of the effectiveness of interventions targeted to adolescents (13 to 18 years inclusive) and delivered in a secondary school setting with the purpose of improving sun protection behaviour, reducing ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure, and/or improving physiological outcomes related to UVR exposure (such as erythema or naevi development). Methods. Peer-reviewed journal articles were identified from seven database searches (Cochrane, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, Medline, PsycInfo, and Web of Science) to January 2020, forward citation searches of relevant articles, and monitoring of WHO INTERSUN UVR list server for recent publications. Relevant articles were collected and critically analysed using the Effective Public Health Practice framework. Two reviewers independently reviewed, and when deemed eligible, extracted data and performed quality appraisals for each study. Results. Thirteen studies met the criteria for inclusion in the review. There were no studies that met a “strong” quality rating, five received a “moderate” quality rating, and eight studies a “weak” quality rating. Three of those with a moderate rating found evidence for effectiveness. The most promising interventions overall (including the pilot/uncontrolled studies) were those that moved beyond a pure health education approach and used innovative approaches such as the provision of shade, or use of technology (e.g., appearance-based apps or real-time ultraviolet index (UVI) monitors). Conclusions. There is a lack of high-quality published studies investigating the interventions delivered in a secondary school setting to protect students from UVR. The evidence could be strengthened if researchers used consistent, standardised outcome measures for sun protection exposure and behaviour. Other factors limiting the strength of evidence were short follow-up times (largely less than 6 months) and/or nonrobust study design.

A Photoaging Intervention Delivered to Adolescents in Secondary Schools: A Feasibility Study

“…The best opportunities for reducing the frequency of skin cancer are in primary prevention interventions that reduce harmful sun exposure, thereby reducing DNA damage and potential skin cancer development. The available evidence suggests that young people are an important group on which to focus efforts, and adolescents, in particular, have been neglected in sun protection initiatives [ 3 ].…”

“…Skin cancer prevention interventions for adolescents have been less commonly investigated than those for children and adults. A recent systematic review identified that appearance-based interventions may be beneficial for this age group [ 3 ]. The study objectives were to develop and evaluate the feasibility of a secondary school-based appearance focused intervention, including the development and testing of protocols and instruments, as a resource module that could be efficiently integrated into the secondary school science curriculum.…”

“…e available evidence suggests that young people are an important group on which to focus e orts, and adolescents, in particular, have been neglected in sun protection initiatives [3].…”

Skin lesion classification and Prediction by Data Augmentation in HAM10000 and ISIC 2019 dataset

“…When diagnosed early, the rate of survival in 5 years is 92 percent [3]. The later identification of melanoma results in increased treatment expenditure [4]. According to dermatologists, the evaluation of dermoscopic images is frequently time-consuming and an error-prone process [5].…”