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An intervention consisting of text-message reminders, read-along books, and swim shirts achieved significant improvements in sun protection behaviors in children, compared with information about sun protection alone, according to the results of a randomized controlled trial.
The study, published online Feb. 8 in JAMA Pediatrics, enrolled 300 caregiver-child pairs (children aged 2-6 years), randomizing 153 to receive a read-along book emphasizing sun protection behaviors, a swim shirt, and weekly text messages asking about sun protection measures undertaken and 147 to the usual information about sun protection given at a well-child visit.
After 4 weeks, the intervention group showed significantly higher scores for sunscreen use both on sunny and cloudy days, significantly higher scores relating to wearing a shirt on sunny days, and significantly lower increases in skin melanin indices on the sun-protected upper arm, compared with the control group (JAMA Pediatr. 2016 Feb 8. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2015.4373).
“Pediatricians’ seasonal age-specific sun protection recommendations will be more effective if supported by an effective, easily accessible, multicomponent program that can be reinforced at home,” said Byron K. Ho of Northwestern University, Chicago, and his coauthors.
The study was funded by the Pediatric Sun Protection Foundation. No conflicts of interest were declared.
The choice by the investigators to educate both the caregiver and the child through the use of an active read-aloud book was a pragmatic one because this process engages both caregivers and their children to recruit each other in reinforcing recommended behaviors.
Supplying rather than simply recommending sun-protective clothing as part of the study encourages adherence by eliminating the obstacle of having families purchase the sun-protective clothing themselves, thus removing associated economic barriers.
D. Albert C. Yan and Dr. Leslie Castelo-Soccio are with the section of dermatology at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and from the departments of pediatrics and dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania. These comments are excerpted from an accompanying editorial (JAMA Pediatr. Feb 8. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2015.4524). Dr. Yan declared consultancies for Galderma, Johnson & Johnson, Pierre Fabre, and Procter & Gamble. No other conflicts of interest were declared.
The choice by the investigators to educate both the caregiver and the child through the use of an active read-aloud book was a pragmatic one because this process engages both caregivers and their children to recruit each other in reinforcing recommended behaviors.
Supplying rather than simply recommending sun-protective clothing as part of the study encourages adherence by eliminating the obstacle of having families purchase the sun-protective clothing themselves, thus removing associated economic barriers.
D. Albert C. Yan and Dr. Leslie Castelo-Soccio are with the section of dermatology at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and from the departments of pediatrics and dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania. These comments are excerpted from an accompanying editorial (JAMA Pediatr. Feb 8. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2015.4524). Dr. Yan declared consultancies for Galderma, Johnson & Johnson, Pierre Fabre, and Procter & Gamble. No other conflicts of interest were declared.
The choice by the investigators to educate both the caregiver and the child through the use of an active read-aloud book was a pragmatic one because this process engages both caregivers and their children to recruit each other in reinforcing recommended behaviors.
Supplying rather than simply recommending sun-protective clothing as part of the study encourages adherence by eliminating the obstacle of having families purchase the sun-protective clothing themselves, thus removing associated economic barriers.
D. Albert C. Yan and Dr. Leslie Castelo-Soccio are with the section of dermatology at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and from the departments of pediatrics and dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania. These comments are excerpted from an accompanying editorial (JAMA Pediatr. Feb 8. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2015.4524). Dr. Yan declared consultancies for Galderma, Johnson & Johnson, Pierre Fabre, and Procter & Gamble. No other conflicts of interest were declared.
An intervention consisting of text-message reminders, read-along books, and swim shirts achieved significant improvements in sun protection behaviors in children, compared with information about sun protection alone, according to the results of a randomized controlled trial.
The study, published online Feb. 8 in JAMA Pediatrics, enrolled 300 caregiver-child pairs (children aged 2-6 years), randomizing 153 to receive a read-along book emphasizing sun protection behaviors, a swim shirt, and weekly text messages asking about sun protection measures undertaken and 147 to the usual information about sun protection given at a well-child visit.
After 4 weeks, the intervention group showed significantly higher scores for sunscreen use both on sunny and cloudy days, significantly higher scores relating to wearing a shirt on sunny days, and significantly lower increases in skin melanin indices on the sun-protected upper arm, compared with the control group (JAMA Pediatr. 2016 Feb 8. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2015.4373).
“Pediatricians’ seasonal age-specific sun protection recommendations will be more effective if supported by an effective, easily accessible, multicomponent program that can be reinforced at home,” said Byron K. Ho of Northwestern University, Chicago, and his coauthors.
The study was funded by the Pediatric Sun Protection Foundation. No conflicts of interest were declared.
An intervention consisting of text-message reminders, read-along books, and swim shirts achieved significant improvements in sun protection behaviors in children, compared with information about sun protection alone, according to the results of a randomized controlled trial.
The study, published online Feb. 8 in JAMA Pediatrics, enrolled 300 caregiver-child pairs (children aged 2-6 years), randomizing 153 to receive a read-along book emphasizing sun protection behaviors, a swim shirt, and weekly text messages asking about sun protection measures undertaken and 147 to the usual information about sun protection given at a well-child visit.
After 4 weeks, the intervention group showed significantly higher scores for sunscreen use both on sunny and cloudy days, significantly higher scores relating to wearing a shirt on sunny days, and significantly lower increases in skin melanin indices on the sun-protected upper arm, compared with the control group (JAMA Pediatr. 2016 Feb 8. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2015.4373).
“Pediatricians’ seasonal age-specific sun protection recommendations will be more effective if supported by an effective, easily accessible, multicomponent program that can be reinforced at home,” said Byron K. Ho of Northwestern University, Chicago, and his coauthors.
The study was funded by the Pediatric Sun Protection Foundation. No conflicts of interest were declared.
FROM JAMA PEDIATRICS
Key clinical point: An intervention of books, text-message reminders, and swim shirts can improve sun protection behaviors in children.
Major finding: A multimodal 4-week intervention aimed at increasing sun protection behavior achieved significant increases in sunscreen use and shirt wearing.
Data source: Randomized controlled study involving 300 caregiver-child pairs.
Disclosures: The study was funded by the Pediatric Sun Protection Foundation. No conflicts of interest were declared.
