The Environmental Protection Agency's National SunWise School Program: sun protection education in US schools (1999-2000).
BACKGROUND
Melanoma, the most fatal form of skin cancer, is rising at a rate faster than that of all preventable cancers except lung cancer in the United States. Childhood exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light increases the risk for skin cancer as an adult; thus starting positive sun protection habits early may be key to reducing incidence.


METHODS
We evaluated the US Environmental Protection Agency's SunWise School Program, a national, environmental education program for sun safety of children in primary and secondary schools (kindergarten through eighth grade). The program was evaluated with surveys administered to participating students. An identical 18-question, self-administered survey was completed by students (median age, 10 years) in the classroom before and immediately after the SunWise educational program.


RESULTS
Surveys were completed by students in 40 schools before (pretests; n = 1894) and after the program was presented (post-tests; n = 1815). Significant improvement was noted for the 3 knowledge variables: appropriate type of sunscreen to be used for outdoor play, highest UV Index number, and need for hats and shirts outside. Intentions to play in the shade increased from 73% to 78% (P <.001), with more modest changes in intentions to use sunscreen. Attitudes regarding healthiness of a tan also decreased significantly.


CONCLUSIONS
Brief, standardized sun protection education can be efficiently interwoven into school health education and result in improvements in knowledge and positive intentions for sun protection.
Geller
Alan C
AC
Department of Dermatology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
Cantor
Maura
M
Miller
Donald R
DR
Kenausis
Kristin
K
Rosseel
Kevin
K
Rutsch
Linda
L
Brooks
Daniel R
DR
Zhang
Zi
Z
Demierre
Marie France
MF
D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006078:Government Programs / Q000458:organization & administration; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011336:Probability; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012572:School Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013471:Sunburn / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013473:Sunscreening Agents; D014481:United States; D014484:United States Environmental Protection Agency
D013473:Sunscreening Agents