A survey of sun protection policy and education in secondary schools.

BACKGROUND

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued recommendations for school programs to reduce skin cancer.

OBJECTIVE

Personnel at US secondary schools were surveyed to describe sun protection policy and education before the CDC recommendations.

METHODS

School principals or other personnel at 484 secondary schools in 27 cities responded to a telephone survey in January and February 2002 (response rate = 31%).

RESULTS

A sun protection policy was reported at 10% of the schools, but sun protection education occurred at nearly all schools (96%). Policies were more prevalent in regions with high ultraviolet radiation (P < .0001), but education was not. Many personnel were willing to adopt a policy (41%) and interested in obtaining a sun safety curriculum (96%).

LIMITATIONS: Self-report measures, nonresponse, and new schools not in the sampling frame.

CONCLUSION

Sun protection was a low policy priority for US schools. Sun safety education was prevalent, but written materials were used infrequently. A substantial proportion of school personnel were receptive to the CDC's advice.