Rationale and study protocol to evaluate the SunSmart policy intervention: a cluster randomised controlled trial of a primary school-based health promotion program

Abstract

BackgroundPrevious evaluations of the SunSmart Program have supported the link between a written sun protection policy and improved sun protection behaviours in New South Wales (NSW) primary schools. However these evaluations have relied on self-reported data and research suggests that direct observations are required to better represent schools’ usual sun protective practices.Methods/DesignData will be collected in the summer months of 2014, 2015, and 2016 as part of an 18-month cluster-controlled trial in NSW primary schools (n = 20). Researchers will conduct three direct observations to record students’ hat use and teachers’ use of sun protective measures during recess and lunch periods in each school. Researchers will also record the volume of sunscreen that the Year 6 classes in each school utilise over the term. At the conclusion of baseline data collection, five schools will be randomised into an intervention group that will work with researchers to develop a policy-driven intervention to improve sun safety behaviour in NSW primary schools.DiscussionAn initial review of relevant Australian and New Zealand literature suggests that provision of policy support is likely to improve school sun protection practices; however there is no suggested model for this support. This will be the first objective analysis of sun safe behaviours leading to a policy-driven intervention conducted in Australian primary schools since the 1990s, and will inform the future direction of sun safety in our schools.Trial registrationAustralian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Register ACTRN12614000926639 Registered 28th August 2014.

An objective and cross-sectional examination of sun-safe behaviours in New South Wales primary schools

“…The rationale and study protocol have been published previously [15]. This paper reports on the baseline data of that study and their analyses.…”

Australian primary school communities' understandings of SunSmart: a qualitative study

“…Baseline research for the CCT included the monitoring of students' sunscreen consumption and hat‐wearing behaviours, and teachers' role modelling of sun protection practices 27 . Following baseline research, five schools from the sample were randomly selected as intervention sites using a simple computer algorithm 27 .…”

“…Baseline research for the CCT included the monitoring of students' sunscreen consumption and hat‐wearing behaviours, and teachers' role modelling of sun protection practices 27 . Following baseline research, five schools from the sample were randomly selected as intervention sites using a simple computer algorithm 27 . The semi‐structured interviews conducted for this study occurred in these five sites, and the results of this study will inform the design and implementation of an intervention to support improved sun protection practices in these schools.…”

“…Expression of interest forms were emailed to all schools in the selected region to generate a list of schools to act as participants. The selection of the 20 schools was previously detailed by Dudley et al 27 From this list, 20 schools were sampled using convenience recruitment methods to participate in the CCT 27 . Following baseline observational research, a simple computer algorithm was used by an independent researcher not involved in the study to randomly select five schools from the sample to act as intervention sites for the CCT 27 …”

‘Heat-Smart’ schools during physical education (PE) activities: Developing a policy to protect students from extreme heat

“…The most commonly utilised school heat policy report relating to heat protection has been SMA's hot weather guidelines (2007-2011) (which includes heat illness, beat the heat and SmartPlay strategies). In contrast to the national unity and success of the Cancer Council's 'Sunsmart' policies in schools (Sharplin, Smith & Roth, 2013;Dudley et al, 2015), there is variance across heat policy reports, guidelines and investigations. The findings emphasise the importance of developing a unified Heat Smart program for Australian schools relating to heat protection.…”