Increasing evidence demonstrates the critical importance of beginning sun safety practices at an early age to prevent and protect against skin cancer. To position the Mississippi State Department of Health as an advocate for sun safety, Mississippi scholars from the 2000 South Central Public Health Leadership Institute adopted "sun safety" as their project for the Institute. This presentation will review the components of the project, which stem from a 1999 Skin Cancer - Related Needs Assessment of Child Care Providers. The project included: proposed regulations for inclusion in the revision of the MSDH Regulations Governing Licensure of Child Care Facilities; development of a pilot test "Sun Safe Curriculum" for Mississippi licensed day care providers; and a marketing plan to carry out the pilot project. Collaborative work with Mississippi State University, Department of Physical Education, to develop a three hour educational seminar on skin cancer prevention and curriculum activities targeting childcare providers is underway. To disseminate the information about the project, sun safety guidelines and resources have been added to the MSDH, Central Cancer Registry Web site and two articles have been written for publication in healthcare professional and child care newsletters. The MSDH sun safe campaign will officially begin March 1, 2001. The MSDH activities, directed toward children and childcare providers, are intended to promote early intervention and a lifetime of sun safety habits. See www.cancer.msdh.state.ms.us
Learning Objectives: 1.Identify the reasons for teaching children sun safe practices. 2. List 5 ways to provide sun protection to you and your child. 3.Develop a sun safe program targeting children and childcare providers.
Keywords: Cancer Prevention, Children's Health
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: South Central Public Health Leadership Institute, Tulane University, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine
Mississippi State Department of Health
Mississippi State University, Dept. of Physical Education
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.