Children of melanoma survivors shown to not adhere to optimal sun protection

Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, reported recently that children of melanoma survivors are not adhering to optimal sun protection recommendations, with more than 40% experiencing sunburn in the past year.

Beth Glenn, PhD, and colleagues identified and surveyed 300 Latino and non-Latino white melanoma survivors with children 17 years old and younger during a 3-year period, according to a press release.

Beth Glenn

As part of the observational study, parents were asked about melanoma-prevention attitudes, about whether they believed their children were at risk and about current use of sun-protection strategies for children.

The researchers found many parents relied on sunscreen to protect children again sun exposure, with even fewer reporting that their children wore sun protection, such as a hat or sunglasses, or attempted to seek shade while exposed to the sun, according to the release. Forty-three percent of the parents reported that during the prior year, their child had experienced a sunburn.

The study was was the first to focus on children of melanoma survivors that included Latinos, according to the press release.

“Children of Latino survivors were just as likely as children of non-Latino white survivors to have experienced a recent sunburn, which highlights the importance of including this group in our work,” Glenn said in the release.

The researchers plan to use the survey results to apply for additional funding to develop an intervention program combining text message reminder system with educational materials, according to the release.

Findings from the study were published online in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.

Reference: www.cancer.ucla.edu.