Interventions to prevent skin cancer by reducing exposure to ultraviolet radiationA systematic review

Abstract

The relationship between skin cancer and ultraviolet radiation is well established. Behaviors such as seeking shade, avoiding sun exposure during peak hours of radiation, wearing protective clothing, or some combination of these behaviors can provide protection. Sunscreen use alone is not considered an adequate protection against ultraviolet radiation. This report presents the results of systematic reviews of effectiveness, applicability, other harms or benefits, economic evaluations, and barriers to use of selected interventions to prevent skin cancer by reducing exposure to ultraviolet radiation. The Task Force on Community Preventive Services found that education and policy approaches to increasing sun-protective behaviors were effective when implemented in primary schools and in recreational or tourism settings, but found insufficient evidence to determine effectiveness when implemented in other settings, such as child care centers, secondary schools and colleges, and occupational settings. They also found insufficient evidence to determine the effectiveness of interventions oriented to healthcare settings and providers, media campaigns alone, interventions oriented to parents or caregivers of children, and community-wide multicomponent interventions. The report also provides suggestions for areas for future research.

Health in All Policies: Improving Health Through Intersectoral Collaboration

“…Community greening, including urban forests, parks, and open space, has a wide range of health benefits, from improved water quality to reduced stress and automobile crashes (Naderi, 2003;Nowak et al, 2006;Ulrich et al, 1991). Trees provide shade, offering cover from cancercausing ultraviolet radiation, reducing air temperatures, and decreasing energy demand (Akbari, 2002;Saraiya et al, 2004). Greening provides pleasant places for physical activity that feel safe, and promote social interaction (Almanza et al, 2012;Kuo and Sullivan, 2001;Lee and Maheswaran, 2010;Wolf, 2010).…”

Are Environmental Interventions Targeting Skin Cancer Prevention among Children and Adolescents Effective? A Systematic Review

“…Study outcomes were regarded important for extraction based on previous systematic reviews [32,38] and were related to socio-cognitive determinants, sun safety behaviors, UVR exposure, and health-related outcomes (i.e., reported sunburns and/or melanocytic nevi (i.e., moles)). The behavioral outcomes were based on recommended sun safety guidelines [29,46].…”

“…Educational interventions for example, can be individually directed and primarily focus on changing intentional decision-making processes [30], by increasing one's knowledge, improving socio-cognitive determinants (e.g., attitudes, self-efficacy) and learning skills to perform a certain behavior. Positive effects of such interventions have been shown for different sun protection behaviors [31,32] and on knowledge, attitudes, intentions, and behavior in various settings [31,33] for children and adolescents [34,35].…”

The health benefits of UV radiation exposure through vitamin D production or non-vitamin D pathways. Blood pressure and cardiovascular disease

“…The epidemiological, mechanistic and clinical trial data have enabled the classification by the International Agency for Research on Cancer of ultraviolet radiation as a Group 1 ('sufficient evidence') carcinogen for human skin 2 . Public health advice in most developed countries with a pale-skinned population following this has advocated limiting exposure to sunlight through use of clothing, sunblock and behavioural alterations [3][4][5] . Despite this plethora of data, one striking omission is evidence that ultraviolet radiation shortens life, and as I will lay out in this chapter, epidemiological and now mechanistic data suggest that UV may have significant benefits on health and in particular cardiovascular health.…”