SCREEN (Skin Cancer Reduction - Early Education Network): Using social marketing to improve sun safety behaviors in children and their caretakers

Project SCREEN is a CDC funded sun safety program that was conducted in summer of 2010 at 40 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 266 parents/caretakers demonstrated significant improvements in sun safety health literacy for those sites with moderate to high program adherence (F= 4.6; 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 (i.e., feet, ears) did improve (ChiSq=10.1; p<.001 to ChiSq=13.3; p<.001). Caretakers also reported improvements in children: "wearing a hat" (ChiSq=20.6; p<.001); "wearing clothing for covering up" (ChiSq=24.9; p < .001); "seeking shade on high UV days" (ChiSq=5.5; p < .05); "wearing lip balm SPF 15+" (ChiSq=16.3; p<.001); "wearing sunglasses with a UV filter" (ChiSq=24.4; p<.001), and "wearing SPF rated clothing" (ChiSq=25.9; p<.001). A number of lessons were learned in our third year of implementation regarding effectiveness of the social marketing materials. Qualitative interviews provided insights towards understanding which social marketing strategies remained effective throughout the summer versus which materials became less effective. Recommendations are provided regarding how to modify social marketing materials and sun safety messaging from early summer to late summer to modify maladaptive attitudes regarding tanning.