Sun Protection Among New Zealand Primary School Children. (October 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gage, Ryan; Leung, William; Stanley, James; Reeder, Anthony; Mackay, Christina; Smith, Moira; Barr, Michelle; Chambers, Tim; Signal, Louise
• Is Part Of: Health education & behavior. Volume 45:Number 5(2018:Oct.)
• Page Start: 800
• Page End: 807
• Publication Date: 2018-10
• Subjects: sun protection -- cancer prevention and screening -- child health -- shade -- school-based health care -- school-based health promotion; Health education -- Periodicals; Health behavior -- Periodicals; 613.05
• DOI: 10.1177/1090198117741943
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1090-1981

Abstract

Schools are an important setting for raising skin cancer prevention awareness and encouraging sun protection. We assessed the clothes worn and shade used by 1, 278 children in eight schools in the Wellington region of New Zealand. These children were photographed for the Kids'Cam project between September 2014 and March 2015 during school lunch breaks. Children's mean clothing coverage (expressed as a percentage of body area covered) was calculated. Data on school sun-safety policies were obtained via telephone. Mean total body clothing coverage was 70.3% (95% confidence interval = 66.3%, 73.8%). Body regions with the lowest mean coverage were the head (15.4% coverage), neck (36.1% coverage), lower arms (46.1% coverage), hands (5.3% coverage), and calves (30.1% coverage). Children from schools with hats as part of the school uniform were significantly more likely to wear a hat (52.2%) than children from schools without a school hat (2.7%). Most children (78.4%) were not under the cover of shade. Our findings suggest that New Zealand children are not sufficiently protected from the sun at school. Schools should consider comprehensive approaches to improve sun protection, such as the provision of school hats, sun-protective uniforms, and the construction of effective shade.