title: Health initiatives for the prevention of skin cancer.
abstract: Skin cancer is the most frequent type of cancer in white population worldwide. However, because the most prominent risk factor-solar UV-radiation and/or artificial UV from sunbeds-is known, skin cancer is highly preventable be primary prevention. This prevention needs, that the public is informed by simple and balanced messages about the possible harms and benefits of UV-exposure and how a person should behave under certain conditions of UV-exposure. For this purpose information and recommendations for the public must be age- and target-group specific to cover all periods of life and to reach all sub-groups of a population, continuously. There is a need that political institutions together with Health Institutions and Societies (e.g., European Commission, WHO, EUROSKIN, ICNIRP, etc.), which are responsible for primary prevention of skin cancer, find a common language to inform the public, in order not to confuse it. This is especially important in connection with the ongoing Vitamin D debate, where possible positive effects of UV have to be balanced with the well known skin cancer risk of UV. A continuously ongoing evaluation of interventions and programs in primary prevention is a pre-requisite to assess the effectiveness of strategies. There is surely no "no message fits all" approach, but balanced information in health initiatives for prevention of skin cancer, which use evidence-base strategies, will further be needed in the future to reduce the incidence, morbidity and mortality skin cancer.
authors.forename: Rüdiger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Greinert
authors.forename: Eckhard W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Breitbart
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mohr
authors.forename: Beate
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Volkmer
mesh_terms: D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012867:Skin / Q000528:radiation effects; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013473:Sunscreening Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D013473:Sunscreening Agents; D014807:Vitamin D