SCREEN (Skin Cancer Reduction - Early Education Network): Program outcomes of a community based social marketing intervention

Project SCREEN is a CDC funded sun safety program that was conducted in summer of 2009 at 23 community locations (i.e., community pools/lakes, summer camps, and beaches) within seven counties in New Jersey. SCREEN uses a train-the-trainer model where lay professionals (i.e., camp counselors, lifeguards) use social marketing materials to improve sun safety health literacy while engaging children/caretakers towards improving sun safety behaviors. Pre-post sun safety surveys measuring sun safety literacy and behaviors collected on 338 parents/caretakers demonstrated significant improvements in sun safety health literacy for those sites with moderate to high program adherence (F= 4.2; p < .01). In addition, while reported use of sunscreen did not significantly increase in the post-assessment, the proper application of sunscreen to specific body locations (neck, back, feet, ears) did improve (ChiSq=7.3; p<.007 to ChiSq=16.6; p<.001). Caretakers also reported improvements in children wearing clothing for "covering up" (ChiSq=3.7; p<.05), and the use of lip balm with SPF15+ (ChiSq=4.3; p<.04). A number of lessons were learned in our second year of implementation regarding effectiveness of the social marketing materials. Qualitative interviews provided insights regarding caretakers' application of sunscreen to prevent "sunburns" in the early summer as opposed to preventing "UV exposure" in the late summer. These interviews were also helpful in understanding which social marketing strategies remained effective throughout the summer versus which materials became less effective. The authors provide recommendations regarding how to modify social marketing materials and specific sun safety messaging from early summer to late summer.