title: The effect of a school-based intervention on sunbed use in Danish pupils at continuation schools: a cluster-randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the effect of an educational intervention on sunbed use and intentions and attitudes toward sunbed use in 14- to 18-year-olds at continuation schools.
  
  
  METHODS
  We randomized 33 continuation schools either to receive the educational intervention (n = 16) or to be controls (n = 17). Intervention schools received an e-magazine addressing the health risks of sunbed use. Information on behavior and intentions and attitudes toward sunbed use was gathered through self-administrated questionnaires before the intervention and at 6 months as a follow-up. The effect of the intervention was examined by multilevel linear regression and logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sunbed use was significantly lower at follow-up among pupils at intervention schools versus pupils at control schools (girls: odds ratio .60, 95% confidence interval .42-.86; Boys: odds ratio .58, 95% confidence interval .35-.96). The intervention had no effect on intention to use sunbeds or attitudes toward sunbed use. The analyses revealed a significant impact of school on attitudes toward sunbed; the intraclass correlation coefficient was estimated to be 6.0% and 7.8% for girls and boys, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings from the present study provide new evidence of a positive effect of an educational intervention on sunbed use among pupils aged 14-18 years at continuation schools.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prevention and Documentation, Danish SunSmart Campaign, Danish Cancer Society, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Cecilie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aarestrup
authors.affiliation: Department of Prevention and Documentation, Danish SunSmart Campaign, Danish Cancer Society, Copenhagen, Denmark. Electronic address: camilla_bonnesen@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Camilla T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Bonnesen
authors.affiliation: University of Southern Denmark, National Institute of Public Health, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Lau C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Thygesen
authors.affiliation: Department of Prevention and Documentation, Danish SunSmart Campaign, Danish Cancer Society, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Anne F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Krarup
authors.affiliation: Department of Prevention and Documentation, Danish SunSmart Campaign, Danish Cancer Society, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Anne B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Waagstein
authors.affiliation: Department of Prevention and Documentation, Adolescents and Smoking, Danish Cancer Society, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Poul D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.affiliation: Department of Prevention and Documentation, Danish SunSmart Campaign, Danish Cancer Society, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bentzen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012572:School Health Services; D012574:Schools; D055108:Sunbathing / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Adolescents; Continuation school; Evaluation; Intervention; Melanoma; Sunbed