Recommendations to prevent skin cancer by reducing exposure to ultraviolet radiation.

s the most common type of cancer in the United States, skin cancer is a significant public health issue.1 It is estimated that in 2004 more han 1 million people will be diagnosed as having basal ell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, and 2300 ill die. Melanoma, predicted to affect 55,100 individals, has a much higher mortality rate and will result in 900 deaths.2 Furthermore, although rates of most other ancers in the United States have been declining, the ncidence of melanoma is increasing,3 likely due in part to ncreased exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The relationship between skin cancer and UV radiation s considered well established. Several self-protective beaviors can provide protection from UV radiation xposure, such as seeking shade, avoiding the sun uring peak hours of UV radiation, wearing protective lothing, or composite behaviors that include more han one of these. Although sunscreen is thought to be n important adjunct to other types of protection gainst UV exposure, recent research suggests that it is ot adequate when used alone. None of these protecive behaviors is highly prevalent in the United States; n 1992 only 53% of adults were “very likely” to protect hemselves from the sun by practicing at least one rotective behavior.4 This report provides recommendations on commuity interventions to prevent skin cancer by reducing xposure to ultraviolet radiation. Interventions that ere reviewed targeted various population groups in a ange of settings. The recommendations in this report represent the ork of the independent, nonfederal Task Force on ommunity Preventive Services (the Task Force). The ask Force is developing the Guide to Community Prevenive Services (the Community Guide) with the support of he U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in ollaboration with public and private partners. The enters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) rovides staff support to the Task Force for the develpment of the Community Guide. The Task Force rec-