title: Adolescents' use of purpose built shade in secondary schools: cluster randomised controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine whether students use or avoid newly shaded areas created by shade sails installed at schools.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cluster randomised controlled trial with secondary schools as the unit of randomisation.
  
  
  METHODS
  51 secondary schools with limited available shade, in Australia, assessed over two spring and summer terms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Students outside at lunch times.
  
  
  METHODS
  Purpose built shade sails were installed in winter 2005 at full sun study sites to increase available shade for students in the school grounds.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mean number of students using the primary study sites during weekly observations at lunch time.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Over the study period the mean change in students using the primary study site from pre-test to post-test was 2.63 (95% confidence interval 0.87 to 4.39) students in intervention schools and -0.03 (-1.16 to 1.09) students in control schools. The difference in mean change between groups was 2.67 (0.65 to 4.68) students (P=0.011).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Students used rather than avoided newly shaded areas provided by purpose built shade sails at secondary schools in this trial, suggesting a practical means of reducing adolescents' exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Exempt.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria, 1 Rathdowne Street, Carlton, Vic 3053, Australia. Suzanne.Dobbinson@cancervic.org.au
authors.forename: Suzanne J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Dobbinson
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Melanie A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Wakefield
authors.forename: Kris M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Jamsen
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Patricia M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Livingston
authors.forename: Dallas R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: English
authors.forename: Julie A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Simpson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012574:Schools; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control; D013472:Sunlight; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014739:Victoria; D014887:Weather