Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #105998

Connie J. Evashwick, ScD, Health Care Administration, California State University Long Beach, 930 Palo Verde Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90815, (562) 985-5881, cevashwk@csulb.edu

Long Beach Sun Protection (LBSP) brings together six hospitals, a public school district, a state university, and a city public health department in a multi-faceted public health initiative to battle the number one type of cancer—skin cancer. Skin cancer affects more people each year than the next five leading cancers combined, despite the fact that it is highly preventable. Prevention techniques are known and readily accessible to the lay community, but little used. The goal of LBSP is to educate professionals and lay people of all ages and ethnic groups about the risks of skin cancer and methods of prevention. The project includes education of healthcare professionals through the health system; education of teachers and school nurses through the school district; screenings at health fairs; evaluation of the school district dress code; and development of resources for professionals and lay community members, including a city-wide website and curricula resources for school teachers and health educators. The presentation describes statistical outcomes to date, as well as how to structure a community-wide sun protection coalition, find and develop tools and materials, and engage professionals. The project has reached its targets of training 200 physicians, 500 other health professionals, 100 educators, and 5,000 lay community members; conducted 10 community screenings; impacted school district curricula at elementary, middle, and high school levels; and created a social marketing campaign. Community awareness has been increased, and individuals have been helped to catch potential skin cancer before it becomes serious. UniHealth Foundation has supported this project.

Learning Objectives: Attendees will be able to

• Articulate the risks of skin cancer
• Initiate actions from individual health or school agencies to prevent skin cancer
• Bring community organizations together to create a unified social marketing campaign for sun protection/skin cancer prevention

Keywords: Cancer Prevention, Health Promotion

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commertial supporters WITH THE EXCEPTION OF The project to be described was supported by the UniHealth Foundation of Los Angeles, CA..