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Intervention program for melanoma survivors helped protect their children from sun

A multimedia intervention program for melanoma survivors improved sun-protection practices for their children, according to recent study results.

Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center conducted a randomized controlled trial of 340 melanoma survivors with children aged 12 years or younger who received either targeted sun protection intervention through a DVD and booklets (n=170) or standard education available to the general public (n=170). Children’s sunburns, children’s sun protection and melanoma survivors’ psychosocial factors at baseline and at post-intervention follow-ups (1 and 4 months) were the primary outcomes.

Post-intervention response rates were 87% at 1 month and 83% at 4 months. Children’s sunscreen reapplication habits increased due to intervention at 1 month (P=.002), while wide-brim hat usage increased at 4 months (P=.045). Other behaviors or sunburns showed no effect from intervention.

At both follow-ups, survivors’ hats/clothing self-efficacy improved (P=.026, 1 month; P=.009, 4 months) with intervention. Clothing intentions of survivors improved after intervention at 4 months (P=.029), along with sun-protective knowledge (P=.01) and outcome expectations for hats (P=.002) and clothing (P=.037) behaviors.

 

Ellen R. Gritz

“Children’s sun protection increased with survivors’ intervention use,” the researchers reported. “The intervention was less effective in survivors who were female or who had a family history, older children, or children with higher baseline sun protection scores.”

“This study is the first to examine a sun protection intervention for children of melanoma survivors,” researcher Ellen R. Gritz, PhD, chair of behavioral science, MD Anderson Cancer Center, said in a press release. “This is significant in that the risk for children of melanoma survivors is almost doubled because of possible shared genotypic and phenotypic factors.”

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.