Sun protection in children: a behavioural study

The ABCs of sun protection for children.

Excessive sun exposure in childhood is a critical variable influencing skin cancer risk. Nurses must teach parents how to properly protect their children from excessive sun exposures by demystifying UV radiation and teaching proper sun-protection measures. Protecting children from excessive sun exposure, while not curtailing recreation, should be the goal of all nurses caring for children.

Parents’ knowledge, attitudes and beliefs regarding sun protection in children: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND Childhood is a critical period for sun protection, when the skin is particularly susceptible to the carcinogenic effects of ultraviolet radiation. Children are dependent upon parents to implement sun protective measures. Existing qualitative research exploring parents' attitudes and beliefs underpinning children's sun protection is from Australia, which has the highest melanoma incid...

A community-based randomized trial encouraging sun protection for children.

OBJECTIVE We evaluated the impact of an intervention promoting sun protection behavior among children 2 to 11 years of age through schools and day care centers, primary care practices, and recreation areas. METHODS Ten towns in New Hampshire were paired, then assigned randomly to intervention or control status. The multicomponent SunSafe intervention was provided to children and caregivers th...

CONTROVERSIES IN DERMATOLOGY Sun Protection in Children: Realities and Challenges

Sun protection and the development of melanocytic nevi in children.

Childhood sun exposure causes nevi (and melanoma), but there is little evidence regarding the effectiveness of sun protection strategies on the number of nevi. We previously found that boys but not girls receiving a school-based sun protection program had fewer nevi on their backs than controls. Here, we investigated whether specific program components (encouraging children to stay indoors in t...