SUN SMART DAY - A PILOT PROGRAM FOR PHOTOPROTECTION EDUCATION

Excessive exposure to the sun's ultraviolet radiation (UVR) contribute s to the etiology of melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers, Many behav iors that increase lifetime risk of skin cancer-sun exposure, sunburn, and lack of sun protection-occur early in childhood, A 1-day school-b ased skin cancer prevention effort-Sun Smart Day-was implemented and e valuated in three elementary schools to improve fourth-graders' knowle dge, attitudes, and behaviors related to skin cancer prevention, A cla ssroom-based skin cancer prevention lesson was compared to an interact ive sun safety fair as vehicles for promoting comprehensive photoprote ction, Sun Smart Day interventions had their greatest impact on fourth -graders' awareness and knowledge of skin cancer and children's increa sed knowledge persisted through the summer break, While both the class room curriculum and the health fair boosted awareness and knowledge of sun safety among fourth graders, the classroom curriculum demonstrate d a slight immediate advantage over the health fair on these outcomes, Also the curriculum was less difficult to implement, but the health f air was move engaging, A Sun Smart Day program may be an important fir st step in increasing public awareness and understanding of skin cance r and its prevention.