CDC COMMUNITY GUIDE: Skin Cancer: Primary and Middle School-Based Interventions

CDC

An Evidence-Based Practice

Description

Interventions in primary and middle school settings are designed to increase sun-protective knowledge, attitudes, and intentions, and affect behavior among children from kindergarten through eighth grade. The interventions focus on some combination of increasing application of sunscreen, scheduling activities to avoid peak sun hours, increasing availability of shade and encouraging children to play in shady areas, and encouraging children to wear sun-protective clothing.

The Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) recommends primary and middle school interventions to prevent skin cancer, based on strong evidence of their effectiveness in increasing sun-protective behaviors and decreasing ultraviolet exposure, sunburn incidence, and formation of new moles.

Results / Accomplishments

Updated Evidence from the Systematic Reviews (2000-2011):
Thirteen studies qualified for the review.
Among studies with concurrent comparison groups, findings include:
-Sunscreen use: median increase of 3.1 percentage points
-Hat use: median increase of 3.0 percentage points
-Use of protective clothing: median increase of 8.7 percentage points
-Use of shade: median increase of 9.2 percentage points
-Use of sunglasses: median increase of 6.6 percentage points
-Sunburn incidence: median decrease of 3.6 percentage points
-New mole formation: median relative decrease of 18.63%
-Studies also found overall favorable results on composite measures of sun-protective behaviors (4 studies) and reduced use of sunlamps (1 study).

About this Promising Practice

Primary Contact
The Community Guide
1600 Clifton Rd, NE
MS E69
Atlanta, GA 30329
(404) 498-1827
communityguide@cdc.gov
https://www.thecommunityguide.org/
Topics
Health / Cancer
Source
Community Guide Branch Epidemiology and Analysis Program Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Location
USA
For more details
https://www.thecommunityguide.org/findings/skin-ca...
Target Audience
Children

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An Evidence-Based Practice meets the following HCI criteria:

  1. The program description includes at a minimum: the sponsoring organization, program goals, program implementation steps, and outcomes that have demonstrated program success in achieving the program goal in one or more localities.
  2. The results from an evaluation of the program include quantitative measures showing improvement in the outcome(s) of interest after the implementation of the program (i.e. increase in smoking cessation, not just the delivery of a smoking cessation program). The outcome measure(s) is/are compared at relevant time periods before and after the intervention or program implementation. Alternatively, the evaluation study compares the outcome(s) between an intervention group and an appropriate control group.
  3. The study is of peer-review quality and presents numbers in a scientific manner; measurements of precision and reliability are included (e.g. confidence intervals, standard errors), results from statistical tests show a significant difference or change in the outcome measure(s), and relevant point estimates and p-values are presented. Note: if the results from an evaluation of a program are presented in a scientific manner and the outcome measure is improved compared to the baseline measurement or the control group but the difference is not statistically significant, the practice is classified as effective and not evidence-based.