Skin cancer prevention for children: A critical review

Increasing sun protection for children may reduce their risk for skin cance r, so many health authorities recommend comprehensive sun safety for childr en. Sun protection of children in North America and Europe is generally low er than desired and lower than in Australia. This article provides a critic al review of evaluations on the effects of 24 sun protection programs for c hildren under age 14. Programs are classified based on the target populatio n, setting, and features. Most programs improved sun safety knowledge, but changes in sun protection attitude and behaviors were smaller. Multiunit pr esentations were more effective than short-duration presentations. Peer edu cation was effective but needs further evaluation. Some programs for parent s have been shown to increase sun protection for children. Strategies to im prove sun safety policies need further study. A few community-wide programs have effectively improved sun protection. Future research should address i nnovative strategies and issues of design and measurement. There is no gold standard for measuring sun protection behavior, but self-report, prospecti ve diaries, and observational techniques show small positive correlations.