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Sharon A. McKenna, BA, Bureau of Epidemiology & Disease Control, Office of Children's Environmental Health, Arizona Department of Health Services, 150 N. 18th Ave. Suite 430, Phoenix, AZ 85007-3245, 602-364-3143, smckenn@hs.state.az.us
Lowering Arizona’s Skin Cancer Incidence Rates through Education: The SunWise School Program
Melanoma, the most deadly of all skin cancers, is increasing faster than any other preventable cancer in the United States. Melanoma has risen approximately 150 percent since 1973. About 90 percent of all skin cancers are associated with ultraviolet radiation. Arizona has more than double the national average skin cancer incidence rates. In February 2003, the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) adopted the EPA SunWise program. SunWise is a national environmental and health education sun safety program for children k-8. Since 80 percent of a person’s lifetime exposure to the sun occurs before the age of 18, improving children’s sun safety behaviors can impact skin cancer rates in adulthood. The SunWise program affects environmental and behavioral changes through a sun safety curriculum. In the first seven months, SunWise Arizona personally reached more than 11,540 children, trained 300 teachers, provided information to every school, formed partnerships with organizations like the SHADE Foundation/Curt & Shonda Schilling Melanoma Foundation of America. Arizona is the first state to receive funding to implement this program through a two-year, $80,000 CDC Preventative Health and Health Services Block Grant and is serving as a model for other states working to educate and protect children from skin cancer. More than 2000 children are participating in a study comparing their sun safety behaviors and attitudes before and after exposure to sun safety education. This program’s success spawned a new department, the Office of Children’s Environmental Health.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Environmental Health, Children and Adolescents
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
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.