In New York, A Campaign to Prevent Skin Cancer
The incidence of melanoma skin cancer is on the rise in the United States, increasing about 3% per year. It is now the fifth leading cancer in men and the sixth leading cancer in women in the United States. State health officials in New York are among those taking steps to reverse this trend by educating school staff, parents, and young children about sun safety and skin cancer prevention.
The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) program is designed to reduce sun exposure in children age 13 and under. In 2003, the NYSDOH staff developed materials for a public awareness campaign related to skin cancer prevention. The campaign included a brochure on skin cancer, "Save the Skin Your Child Is In," posters and billboards carrying the same message, and a radio spot to reinforce the message.
Then, 2 pilot skin cancer prevention initiatives through the NYSDOH incorporated the Environmental Protection Agency's evidence-based SunWise sun protection curriculum. The pilot intervention was targeted to primary schools in 2 New York counties. The purpose of this initiative was to raise awareness about the relationship of sun exposure in childhood to risk for skin cancer later in life. It also focused on the important role the school can play in raising awareness of staff, students, and parents of this relationship.
Now, the NYSDOH has received funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to build on the pilot program. This funding will enable the state's Cancer Services Program to expand its efforts by offering all public and private elementary schools throughout the state the opportunity to improve their sun protection environment in 2006. This new initiative will encourage primary schools to initiate policy changes and introduce structural interventions to promote sun protection and ultimately, to prevent skin cancer.
The project will include distribution of:
* an informational kit composed of best practices for school-based policies, background information, and resources
* recommended sun safety curricula
* description of the NYSDOH pilot program
* school-specific policy assessment checklist
* application to obtain sun safety incentives
* samples of NYSDOH educational materials with an order form.
The effort under way in New York state is just one example of how early education and awareness campaigns can help prevent the development of skin cancer. Clinicians can play an active role in the fight against melanoma and other skin cancers by teaching parents and their children, as well as educators and caregivers, about safety in the sun (see Table 1 for helpful guidelines).