#4Corners4Health Social Media Cancer Prevention Campaign for Emerging Adults: Protocol for a Randomized Stepped-Wedge Trial.

BACKGROUND: Many emerging adults (EAs) are prone to making unhealthy choices, which increase their risk of premature cancer morbidity and mortality. In the era of social media, rigorous research on interventions to promote health behaviors for cancer risk reduction among EAs delivered over social media is limited. Cancer prevention information and recommendations may reach EAs more effectively over social media than in settings such as health care, schools, and workplaces, particularly for EAs residing in rural areas. OBJECTIVE: This pragmatic randomized trial aims to evaluate a multirisk factor intervention using a social media campaign designed with community advisers aimed at decreasing cancer risk factors among EAs. The trial will target EAs from diverse backgrounds living in rural counties in the Four Corners states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. METHODS: We will recruit a sample of EAs (n=1000) aged 18 to 26 years residing in rural counties (Rural-Urban Continuum Codes 4 to 9) in the Four Corners states from the Qualtrics' research panel and enroll them in a randomized stepped-wedge, quasi-experimental design. The inclusion criteria include English proficiency and regular social media engagement. A social media intervention will promote guideline-related goals for increased physical activity, healthy eating, and human papillomavirus vaccination and reduced nicotine product use, alcohol intake, and solar UV radiation exposure. Campaign posts will cover digital and media literacy skills, responses to misinformation, communication with family and friends, and referral to community resources. The intervention will be delivered over 12 months in Facebook private groups and will be guided by advisory groups of community stakeholders and EAs and focus groups with EAs. The EAs will complete assessments at baseline and at 12, 26, 39, 52, and 104 weeks after randomization. Assessments will measure 6 cancer risk behaviors, theoretical mediators, and participants' engagement with the social media campaign. RESULTS: The trial is in its start-up phase. It is being led by a steering committee. Team members are working in 3 subcommittees to optimize community engagement, the social media intervention, and the measures to be used. The Stakeholder Organization Advisory Board and Emerging Adult Advisory Board were formed and provided initial input on the priority of cancer risk factors to target, social media use by EAs, and community resources available. A framework for the social media campaign with topics, format, and theoretical mediators has been created, along with protocols for campaign management. CONCLUSIONS: Social media can be used as a platform to counter misinformation and improve reliable health information to promote health behaviors that reduce cancer risks among EAs. Because of the popularity of web-based information sources among EAs, an innovative, multirisk factor intervention using a social media campaign has the potential to reduce their cancer risk behaviors. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05618158; https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05618158. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/50392.

The Process of Responding to COVID-19 Misinformation in a Social Media Feed.

Misinformation can undermine public health recommendations. Our team evaluated a 9-week social media campaign promoting COVID-19 prevention to mothers (n = 303) of teen daughters in January-March 2021. We implemented an epidemiological model for monitoring, diagnosing, and responding quickly to misinformation from mothers. Overall, 54 comments out of 1617 total comments (3.3%) from 20 mothers (6.6% of sample) contained misinformation. Misinformation was presented in direct statements and indirectly as hypothetical questions, source derogation, and personal stories, and attributed to others. Misinformation occurred most (n = 40; 74%) in comments on vaccination posts. The community manager responded to 48 (89%) misinformation comments by acknowledging the comment and rebutting misinformation. No mothers who provided misinformation left the Facebook groups and a few commented again (n = 10) or reacted (n = 3) to responses. Only a small number of comments conveyed misinformation. Our quick-response epidemiological protocol appeared to prevent debate and dropout and exposed these mothers to credible information.

Effects of Engagement with a Social Media Campaign for Mothers to Prevent Indoor Tanning by Teens in a Randomized Trial.

In a social media campaign aimed at reducing mothers' permissiveness for indoor tanning (IT) by their teenage daughters, a secondary analysis of campaign engagement effects on IT outcomes was performed. Mothers (n = 869) with daughters aged 14-17 were recruited in 34 states that did not ban IT by minors under age 18 for a randomized trial with follow-up at 12 months (end of intervention) and 18 months (6 months after intervention) post-randomization. Daughters' (n = 469) baseline and follow-up responses were analyzed too. Mothers received a Facebook feed on adolescent health topics that included posts about preventing IT (intervention) or prescription drug misuse (control). Engagement was measured by extracting reactions (e.g., like, sad, etc.) and comments posted by mothers to the campaign posts. Overall, 76.4% of posts received a reaction and/or comment. Mothers who engaged with IT posts were less permissive of daughters' IT immediately at the conclusion of the campaign (permit IT: -0.39, p < .05; facilitate IT: -0.29, p < .05) and 6 months after intervention (permit IT: -0.32, p < .05; facilitate IT: -0.31, p < .05) than mothers who did not engage with posts. Engagement with posts was essential to the success of a social media campaign for preventing IT by minors by reducing mothers' permissiveness.

Persisting Effects of a Social Media Campaign to Prevent Indoor Tanning: A Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND: A social media campaign for mothers aimed at reducing indoor tanning (IT) by adolescent daughters reduced mothers' permissiveness toward IT in an immediate posttest. Whether the effects persisted at 6 months after the campaign remains to be determined. METHODS: Mothers (N = 869) of daughters ages 14-17 in 34 states without bans on IT by minors were enrolled in a randomized trial. All mothers received an adolescent health campaign over 12 months with posts on preventing IT (intervention) or prescription drug misuse (control). Mothers completed a follow-up at 18 months post-randomization measuring IT permissiveness, attitudes, intentions, communication, and behavior, and support for state bans. Daughters (n = 469; 54.0%) just completed baseline and follow-up surveys. RESULTS: Structural equation modeling showed that intervention-group mothers were less permissive of IT by daughters [unstandardized coefficient, -0.17; 95% confidence interval (CI), -0.31 to -0.03], had greater self-efficacy to refuse daughter's IT requests (0.17; 95% CI, 0.06-0.29) and lower IT intentions themselves (-0.18; 95% CI, -0.35 to -0.01), and were more supportive of bans on IT by minors (0.23; 95% CI, 0.02-0.43) than control-group mothers. Intervention-group daughters expressed less positive IT attitudes than controls (-0.16; 95% CI, 0.31 to -0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The social media campaign may have had a persisting effect of convincing mothers to withhold permission for daughters to indoor tan for 6 months after its conclusion. Reduced IT intentions and increased support for bans on IT by minors also persisted among mothers. IMPACT: Social media may increase support among mothers to place more restrictions on IT by minors.

Human Papillomavirus Vaccination and Social Media: Results in a Trial With Mothers of Daughters Aged 14-17.

Introduction: Parents acquire information about human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines online and encounter vaccine-critical content, especially on social media, which may depress vaccine uptake. Secondary analysis in a randomized trial of a Facebook-delivered adolescent health campaign targeting mothers with posts on HPV vaccination was undertaken with the aims of (a) determining whether the pre-post-change occurred in self-reports of the mothers on HPV vaccination of their adolescent daughters; (b) describing the comments and reactions to vaccine posts; (c) exploring the relationship of campaign engagement of the mothers assessed by their comments and reactions to posts to change in the self-reports of the mothers of HPV vaccination. Materials and Methods: Mothers of daughters aged 14-17 were recruited from 34 states of the US (n = 869). A social media campaign was delivered in two Facebook private groups that differed in that 16% of posts in one were focused on indoor tanning (IT) and 16% in the other, on prescription drug misuse, assigned by randomization. In both groups, posts promoted HPV vaccination (n = 38 posts; no randomization) and vaccination for other disease (e.g., influenza, n = 49). HPV and other vaccination posts covered the need for a vaccine, the number of adolescents vaccinated, how vaccines are decreasing the infection rates, and stories of positive benefits of being vaccinated or harms from not vaccinating. Guided by social cognitive theory and diffusion of innovations theory, posts were intended to increase knowledge, perceived risk, response efficacy (i.e., a relative advantage over not vaccinated daughters), and norms for vaccination. Some vaccination posts linked to stories to capitalize on identification effects in narratives, as explained in transportation theory. All mothers received the posts on vaccination (i.e., there was no randomization). Mothers completed surveys at baseline and 12- and 18-month follow-up to assess HPV vaccine uptake by self-report measures. Reactions (such as sad, angry) and comments to each HPV-related post were counted and coded. Results: Initiation of HPV vaccination (1 dose) was reported by 63.4% of mothers at baseline, 71.3% at 12-month posttest (pre/post p < 0.001), and 73.3% at 18-month posttest (pre/post p < 0.001). Completion of HPV vaccination (two or three doses) was conveyed by 50.2% of mothers at baseline, 62.5% at 12-month posttest (pre/post p < 0.001), and 65.9% at 18-month posttest (pre/post p < 0.001). For posts on HPV vaccines, 8.1% of mothers reacted (n = 162 total), and 68.4% of posts received a reaction (63.2% like; 13.2% love, 7.9% sad). In addition, 7.6% of mothers commented (n = 122; 51 unfavorable, 68 favorable, 1 neutral), and 50.0% of these posts received a comment. There were no differences in pre-post change in vaccine status by the count of reactions or comments to HPV vaccine posts (Ps > 0.05). Baseline vaccination was associated with the valence of comments to HPV vaccine posts (7.2% of mothers whose daughters had completed the HPV series at baseline made a favorable comment but 7.6% of mothers whose daughters were unvaccinated made an unfavorable comment). Conclusion: Effective strategies are needed in social media to promote HPV vaccines and counter misinformation about and resistance to them. Mothers whose daughters complete the HPV vaccine course might be recruited as influencers on HPV vaccines, as they may be predisposed to talk favorably about the vaccine. Comments from mothers who have not been vaccinated should be monitored to ensure that they do not spread vaccine-critical misinformation. Study limitations included lack of randomization and control group, relatively small number of messages on HPV vaccines, long measurement intervals, inability to measure views of vaccination posts, reduced generalizability related to ethnicity and social media use, and use of self-reported vaccine status. Clinical Trial Registration: www.clinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT02835807.

Results of a social media campaign to prevent indoor tanning by teens: A randomized controlled trial.

Indoor tanning (IT) increases risk of developing skin cancer. A social media campaign to reduce mother's permissiveness toward their teenage daughters IT was evaluated. Mothers (N = 869) of daughters aged 14-17 in 34 states without bans on IT by minors were enrolled in a randomized trial with assessments at baseline and 12-months follow-up in 2017-19. A year-long adolescent health campaign was delivered to all mothers. The intervention group received posts on preventing IT and the control group, posts about preventing prescription drug misuse. Daughters (n = 469; 54.0%) completed the assessments at baseline and 12 months. At 12-month follow-up, intervention-group mothers were less permissive of IT by daughters (unadjusted means = 1.70 [95% CI: 1.59, 1.80] v. 1.85 [1.73, 1.97] [5-point Likert scale], b = -0.152), reported more communication about avoiding IT with daughters (4.09 [3.84, 4.35] v. 3.42 [3.16, 3.68] [sum of 7 yes/no items], b = 0.213), and had lower intentions to indoor tan (1.41 [1.28, 1.55] v. 1.60 [1.43, 1.76] [7-point likelihood scale], b = -0.221) than control-group mothers. Daughters confirmed intervention-group mothers communicated about IT (3.81 [3.49, 4.14] v. 3.20 [2.87, 3.53] [sum of 7 yes/no items], b = 0.237) and shared IT posts (unadjusted percentages = 52.4% v. 36.4%, b = 0.438) more than control-group mothers. No differences were found in IT behavior, self-efficacy to refuse permission, and negative attitudes toward IT. A social media campaign may be an effective strategy to convince mothers to withhold permission for IT, which may help increase the effectiveness of state laws designed to reduce IT by minors by requiring parental permission.

Association of occupational sun safety policy and actions in state transportation sector in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Occupational sun protection is recommended by government health authorities. Sun safety policies and predictors of managers' reports of sun safety actions were assessed. METHODS: Written policies from 21 state departments of transportation (DOTs) enrolled in a randomized trial to test methods for scaling-up an occupational sun safety intervention were coded for sun safety content at baseline. Managers (n = 1113) supervising outdoor workers reported on sun safety actions in a baseline survey. RESULTS: Twenty state DOTs (95.2%) have a policy with at least one sun protection component. Sun safety training was increased at workplaces with a written sun safety policy (p < 0.001) and unwritten standard procedures on sun protection (p < 0.001). Reported sun safety actions were highest where there was a written sun safety policy (p < 0.001) and unwritten standard procedures on sun protection (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Policies are essential for the implementation of employee sun safety. There is room for improvement in existing policies of state DOTs.

Scented lotions may cause scaring and premature fading of tattoos.

Although tattoo artists provide tattoo aftercare instructions to their clients, recommendations are often not cost-effective or supported by evidence. A 22-year-old man developed a pruritic red rash over his healing tattoo one week after receiving the tattoo. Although multiple queries were negative, the patient did note use of a scented lotion before the eruption. We determined that allergic contact dermatitis from the scented lotion caused scarring and premature fading of the new tattoo. Tattoo artists should recommend avoidance of scented lotions and instruct clients to care for their new tattoo like a wound in their aftercare instructions.

Aftercare Instructions in the Tattoo Community: An Opportunity to Educate on Sun Protection and Increase Skin Cancer Awareness.

Tattoo studios provide a unique venue for primary and secondary skin cancer prevention. Most tattoo artists promote sun protection for new tattoos in the form of aftercare instructions. Unfortunately, most tattoo artists are not well-informed on comprehensive sun safety recommendations, such as applying sunscreen prior to sun exposure with a sun protective factor (SPF) of 30 or higher, reapplying sunscreen when outdoors for more than two hours, using clothing that physically blocks ultraviolet rays, wearing wide-brimmed hats that shade the head, or seeking shade when available. However, recent evidence suggests that tattoo artists are open to learning about comprehensive sun safety recommendations and secondary skin cancer prevention methods. Tattoo studios also offer an opportunity to reach younger adults who may not be exposed to public health information or have access to health care. In addition to providing aftercare instructions to their clients, tattoo artists can disseminate sun safety information through social media and tattoo studio websites. Tattoo studios might serve as a an effective intervention environment to provide comprehensive full-body skin cancer prevention recommendations. Current recommendations to protect new tattoos from the sun should be compatible with the current sun safety guidelines from the American Academy of Dermatology.

Design and baseline data of a randomized trial comparing two methods for scaling-up an occupational sun protection intervention.

BACKGROUND: Successful methods for scaling-up evidence-based programs are needed to prevent skin cancer among adults who work outdoors in the sun. METHODS: A randomized trial is being conducted comparing two methods of scaling-up the Sun Safe Workplaces (SSW) intervention. Departments of transportation (DOTs) from 21 U.S. states are participating and their 138 regional districts were randomized following baseline assessment. In districts assigned to the in-person method (n = 46), project staff meets personally with managers, conducts trainings for employees, and provides printed materials. In districts assigned to the digital method (n = 92), project staff conduct these same activities virtually, using conferencing technology, online training, and electronic materials. Delivery of SSW in both groups was tailored to managers' readiness to adopt occupational sun safety. Posttesting will assess manager's support for and use of SSW and employees' sun safety. An economic evaluation will explore whether the method that uses digital technology results in lower implementation of SSW but is more cost-effective relative to the in-person method. RESULTS: The state DOTs range in size from 997 to 18,415 employees. At baseline, 1113 managers (49.0%) completed the pretest (91.5% male, 91.1% white, 19.77 years on the job, 66.5% worked outdoors; and 24.4% had high-risk skin types). They were generally supportive of occupational sun safety. A minority reported that the employer had a written policy, half reported training, and two-thirds, messaging on sun protection. CONCLUSIONS: Digital methods are available that may make scale-up of SSW cost-effective in a national distribution to nearly half of the state DOTs. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The ClinicalTrials.gov registration number is NCT03278340.

Hispanic Tattoo Artists Could Provide Skin Cancer Prevention via Aftercare Instructions and Social Media

BACKGROUND: The incidence of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer in the Hispanic population has increased. Hispanics are more likely to present with advance-staged melanoma and worse overall prognosis. Thus, public health campaigns are necessary to target the underrepresented Hispanic population. OBJECTIVE: To explore Hispanic tattoo artists' skin cancer knowledge, sun safety recommendations, and their willingness to implement primary and secondary skin cancer prevention in their daily work routines. METHODS: We conducted an in-depth semi-structured interview study with ten Hispanic tattoo artists. Interviews were conducted at multiple tattoo studios in Salt Lake City, Utah.Data was coded by a third-party. Thematic analysis identified recurrent sub-themes from the transcript. RESULTS: Majority of Hispanic tattoo artists had a high percentage of Hispanic clientele (mean: 51%, range: 25-93%) and repeat customers (mean: 73%, range: 50-90%). All tattoo artists had suboptimal skin cancer knowledge. Most Hispanic tattoo artists provide inadequate sun protective information in their aftercare instructions including a specific Sun Protection Factor, sunscreen reapplication, and protective clothing. However, all tattoo artists were willing to provide sun protective information on their social media profiles and undergo primary and secondary skin cancer prevention training. CONCLUSION: Hispanic tattoo artists could serve as public health allies and influence early detection of skin cancers in the Hispanic population by implementing preventative skin cancer behaviors in their daily work routines and providing comprehensive sun safety information through aftercare instructions and social media. J Drugs Dermatol. 2019;18(12):1237-1243.

Economic Evaluation of an Intervention Promoting Adoption of Occupational Sun Protection Policies.

OBJECTIVE: Economic evaluation of an intervention promoting adoption of occupational sun protection actions by Colorado public sector employers. METHODS: Randomized controlled trial with 2-year follow-up conducted during 2010 to 2013. Thirty-three intervention and 30 attention-control worksites in final economic sample. Twenty-four-month intervention of personal contacts, training, and materials. Intervention delivery micro-costed. Costs of implemented actions from employer self-report. RESULTS: Twenty-four-month intervention costs: $121,789, 51.8% incurred by project staff (per-worksite mean=$1,732). Worksite costs: $58,631 (mean = $1,777). Per-employee costs: $118 project staff, $56 worksites. Materials cost: $5990 (mean = $181). Intervention worksites implemented 72 nontraining sun protection actions post-Sun Safe Workplaces (SSW) (mean = 2.18). Control worksites implemented 39 actions (mean = 1.30). Total costs to intervention worksites of implementing the 72 post-SSW actions: $90,645 (mean = $2,747). Control worksite costs: $66,467 (mean = $2,216). Per-employee implementation costs are comparable to other worksite health interventions. CONCLUSION: SSW expanded adoption of sun protection actions at a reasonable per-employee cost.

Senior managers' awareness of sun protection policy predicts implementation of worksite sun safety in a randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: Outdoor workers experience chronic exposure to harmful ultraviolet radiation (UV) elevating their risk for skin cancer. METHODS: A controlled randomized trial promoted the adoption of workplace sun safety policy and employee education at 98 public organizations in Colorado. A 2-year follow-up study with 68 organizations assessed the association of senior manager awareness of sun safety policies and implementation of sun safety actions. RESULTS: Senior managers' awareness of existing sun safety policies, but not their personal sun protection behaviors, predicted implementation of sun safety actions including the number of sun protection messages and sun protection items in the workplace and increased communication about sun safety to employees. CONCLUSIONS: Organizational adoption of sun safety policy must include efforts to broadly inform a workplace's senior management to ensure the policies are actually implemented and provide support for sun protection behaviors by outdoor workers to reduce UV exposure and skin cancer risk.

Insights on HPV vaccination in the United States from mothers' comments on Facebook posts in a randomized trial.

In the United States, parents' health beliefs affect HPV vaccination decisions for children. Our team acquired insights into mothers' health beliefs from their reactions and comments to posts on HPV vaccination in a social media adolescent health campaign in a randomized trial (n = 881 mothers; 63.1% reported daughters had 1+ doses of the HPV vaccine) evaluating communication intended to reduce daughters' indoor tanning. A total of 10 HPV vaccination messages in didactic (n = 7) and narrative (n = 3) formats were posted on vaccination need, uptake, and effectiveness and stories of young women who died from cervical cancer and a mother's decision to vaccinate her daughters. These posts received 28 reactions (like, love, and sad buttons; mean = 2.8 per post) and 80 comments (mean = 8.0 per post). More comments were favorable (n = 43) than unfavorable (n = 34). Data was not collected on views for posts. The most common favorable comment reported that daughters were vaccinated (n = 31). Unfavorable comments cited safety concerns, lack of physician support, distrust of pro-vaccine sources, and increased sexual activity of daughters. Mothers posting unfavorable (18.2%) as opposed to favorable (78.6%) comments or not commenting (64.0%) were less likely to have had their daughters vaccinated (chi-square = 22.27, p < 0.001). Favorable comments often did not state reasons for vaccinating. Concerns about lack of vaccine safety remain a barrier. Mothers may express distrust in pro-vaccine sources to reduce discomfort with not vaccinating daughters to reduce their risk for HPV infection. Many mothers who remained silent had vaccinated daughters, which suggests they did not resisit HPV vaccination.

Implementation of Occupational Sun Safety at a 2-Year Follow-Up in a Randomized Trial: Comparison of Sun Safe Workplaces Policy Intervention to Attention Control.

PURPOSE: Implementation of employer sun safety actions was assessed in a 2-year follow-up to an occupational sun protection policy intervention. DESIGN: Two-year follow-up assessment in a randomized pretest-posttest controlled design. SETTING: Local government organizations with workers in public safety, public works, and parks and recreation. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-three local government organizations (participation = 64%) and 330 frontline supervisors and 1454 workers. INTERVENTION: Sun Safe Workplaces (SSW) intervention promoting occupational sun safety policy and education. MEASURES: Observations of SSW messages and sun safety items and surveys on organizations' communication and actions on sun safety. ANALYSIS: Comparison between SSW and control groups was conducted using regression models and adjusted for clustering where appropriate, with α criterion set at P = .05 (2-tailed). RESULTS: At intervention worksites, more SSW messages ( P < .001) and sun safety items ( P = .025) were observed; more frontline supervisors reported organizations provided free/reduced price sunscreen ( P = .005) and communicated about sun safety ( P < .001); and more workers recalled receiving sun safety messages ( P < .001) and sun safety training ( P <.001) compared to control organizations. Implementation was greater at larger than smaller intervention organizations for wide-brimmed hats ( P = .009), long work pants ( P = .017), and shade structures ( P = .036). Older workers received the most written messages ( P = .015). CONCLUSIONS: Sun Safe Workplaces appeared to produce actions by organizations to support employee sun safety. Large organizations may have processes, communication channels, and slack resources to achieve more implementation.

Florida physicians' reported use of AFIX-based strategies for human papillomavirus vaccination.

HPV vaccination rates in Florida are low. To increase rates, the CDC recommends clinics adhere to components of their evidence-based quality improvement program, AFIX (Assessment, Feedback, Incentives, and eXchange of information). We explored factors associated with engaging in HPV-specific AFIX-related activities. In 2016, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of a representative sample of 770 pediatric and family medicine physicians in Florida and assessed vaccination practices, clinic characteristics, and HPV-related knowledge. Data were analyzed in 2017. The primary outcome was whether physicians' clinics engaged in ≥1 AFIX activity. We stratified by physician specialty and developed multivariable models using a backward selection approach. Of the participants in the analytic sample (n = 340), 52% were male, 60% were White of any ethnicity, and 55% were non-Hispanic. Pediatricians and family medicine physicians differed on: years practicing medicine (p < 0.001), HPV-related knowledge (p < 0.001), and VFC provider status (p < 0.001), among others. Only 39% of physicians reported engaging in ≥1 AFIX activity. In the stratified multivariable model for pediatricians, AFIX activity was significantly associated with HPV-related knowledge (aOR = 1.33;95%CI = 1.08-1.63) and provider use of vaccine reminder prompts (aOR = 3.61;95%CI = 1.02-12.77). For family medicine physicians, HPV-related knowledge was significant (aOR = 1.57;95%CI = 1.20-2.05) as was majority race of patient population (non-Hispanic White vs. Other: aOR = 3.02;95%CI = 1.08-8.43), daily patient load (<20 vs. 20-24: aOR = 9.05;95%CI = 2.72-30.10), and vaccine administration to male patients (aOR = 2.98;95%CI = 1.11-8.02). Fewer than half of Florida pediatric and family medicine physicians engaged in any AFIX activities. Future interventions to increase AFIX engagement should focus on implementing and evaluating AFIX activities in groups identified as having low engagement in AFIX activities.

Sun Safe Workplaces: Effect of an Occupational Skin Cancer Prevention Program on Employee Sun Safety Practices.

OBJECTIVE: Occupational skin cancer prevention is a priority because outdoor workers are exposed to high levels of ultraviolet radiation, the primary risk factor for skin cancer. METHODS: A 2-year follow-up assessment of the impact of Sun Safe Workplaces (SSW), a workplace sun safety program that promoted policy adoption and education, on employee sun safety behavior was conducted. Sixty-three of 98 local government organizations from the original study participated. RESULTS: Outdoor workers (n = 1724) completed surveys on personal sun protection practices. Employees' sun protection improved statistically significantly in the intervention group receiving the SSW program. SSW's effect was mediated by the number of workplace actions to implement elements of the policy, including sun protection messages and equipment and employee reports of sun safety training. CONCLUSION: Policy promotion is a feasible approach to occupational skin cancer prevention.

Results of a Randomized Trial on an Intervention Promoting Adoption of Occupational Sun Protection Policies.

PURPOSE: To evaluate an intervention promoting adoption of occupational sun protection policies by employers in a randomized trial. DESIGN: A randomized pretest-posttest controlled design with 2-year follow-up was conducted in 2010 to 2013. SETTING: Local government organizations in Colorado who had outdoor workers in public works, public safety, and/or parks and recreation. PARTICIPANTS: Ninety-eight local government organizations (n = 51 municipalities, 10 counties, and 37 special districts). INTERVENTION: Organizations were randomly assigned to receive a policy and education intervention comprised of personal contacts and theory-based training and materials or to an attention control group. MEASURES: Occupational policy documents were coded for sun safety content by a trained research assistant blind to condition. ANALYSIS: Policy scores were analyzed with logistic and Poisson regression models using imputation. RESULTS: At posttest, more organizations in the intervention group had a sun protection policy than in the control group (odds ratio [OR] = 4.91, P < .05; intent to treat: OR = 5.95, P < .05) and policies were more extensive (χ2 = 31.29, P < .01; intent to treat: χ2 =73.79, P < .01) and stronger (χ2 = 24.50, P < .01; intent to treat: χ2 = 51.95, P < .01). Policy adoption was higher when the number of contacts and trainings increased ( P < .05). CONCLUSION: The intervention had a large effect on adoption of formal sun protection policies, perhaps because of its fit with legal requirements to maintain safe workplaces. Personal contacts with managers were influential on adoption of occupational policy even in this age of communication technology and social media.