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Block the Sun, Not the Fun

An Evidence-Based Practice

This practice has been Archived and is no longer maintained.

Description

The Block the Sun, Not the Fun program aims to reduce the lifetime risk of skin cancer by reducing sun exposure among children in preschool and day care settings. Chronic, cumulative sun exposure is a major risk factor for squamous and basal cell carcinomas and a single severe, blistering sunburn during childhood or adolescence can double the lifetime risk for malignant melanoma.

The program educates preschool and day care staff on the relationship between sun exposure and skin cancer through interactive workshops and helps the staff develop a sun protection plan. Block the Sun, Not the Fun also educates preschool and day care staff on how to participate in children's sun protection activities (applying sun block, protective clothing, etc) and provides materials for the staff to disseminate to the parents of the children.

Goal / Mission

The intervention aimed to improve sun protection practices among day care and preschool staff in the daily care of the children. Other goals of the intervention was to improve the sun protection of children by their parents and to educate children about sun protection.

Results / Accomplishments

The intervention was evaluated in a randomized control trial of 27 preschools and day care centers. Thirteen centers participated in the intervention and 14 were assigned to the control group. After the intervention, 50% of school directors reported year-round sunscreen application compared to 23% of school directors before the intervention (p<0.004). After the intervention, 100% of school directors in the intervention group reported they intended to apply sunscreen to children's exposed skin on sunny days when snow was on the ground compared to 64% in the control group (p<0.05). All participants in the intervention reported sending sun protection materials home with the parents of their students.

About this Promising Practice

Organization(s)
National Cancer Institute
Primary Contact
Sun Safety Alliance
Topics
Health / Cancer
Health / Children's Health
Organization(s)
National Cancer Institute
Source
Research-tested Intervention Programs
Date of publication
1999
Date of implementation
1994
Location
USA
For more details
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=PubMed...
http://rtips.cancer.gov/rtips/programDetails.do?pr...
Target Audience
Children, Families

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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.
Greater Hampton Roads