Improving Skin Protection Practices in Rural Kansas 6th Graders

Problem: Skin cancer is a common cancer in the United States and often preventable with the use of sun modification behaviors (sunscreen, long sleeves, hats and sunglasses) (Centers for Disease Control [CDC], 2018). Prevention is a key to decreasing skin cancer incidence, its associated morbidity and healthcare costs. A low rate of skin protection education can be a contributing factor of sun damage especially in rural areas where there is greater exposure to the sun with farming, outdoor activities and low resources for educational interventions (Chun, Ohanehi, & Redican, 2015). Children and adolescents generally experience more cellular skin damage from ultraviolet (UV) radiation due to a thinner stratum corneum (Kunene et al., 2017). The majority of sun damage occurs prior to 18 years of age, a time when most school age children are involved in outdoor activities with misconceptions that skin protection is not important (Butera, Clark, Georges, & Bush, 2015). Project Aims: The overall aim of this DNP project is to improve skin protection practices in 6th graders in a rural Kansas town. The Project Director will: (1) assess perceptions regarding skin protection usage, (2) identify the barriers to skin protection in preadolescents, and (3) assess if the preadolescents after a skin cancer and protective sun health educational program intend to change any needed sunscreen practices. Project Method: This quality improvement project will be conducted at a grade school in Onaga Kansas. The sample will be approximately nineteen 6th grade students. Using a self-reported pre-test/post-test design, the Project Director assessed the perceptions, barriers, and the intent to change current skin protection practices of these 6th graders following the SunWise educational sun protective package. This presentation included a 60-minute session consisting of a SunWise PowerPoint presentation and an interactive program utilizing an ultraviolet (UV)/Skin Protection Factor (SPF) Frisbee demonstration. Descriptive statistics ...