NCT05908435

Impact of Sunscreen Dispensers in Parks Visited by Teenagers

Measuring the Impact of Free Sunscreen Dispensers in Community Settings Frequented by Youth

• Status: Active Not Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 1,200 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 12 Years – 20 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

This study will evaluate the use of publicly available free sunscreen dispensers at Maine beaches and Boston and Cambridge parks. Aim 1: Determine the impact of DFS+ (dispensers, flyers, enhanced signage, + a social media component delivered by teen ambassadors) sun protection education on the use of free sunscreen dispensers by adolescents ages 12-20 compared with DFS (dispensers, flyers, standard signage). Aim 2: Outcomes evaluation to assess the effects of the sunscreen dispensers and the sun-safety educational intervention on sun protection knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors within the community. Aim 3: Cost Evaluation and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis

Detailed description

The investigators will build on the pioneering work of IMPACT Melanoma which has provided free sunscreen dispensers to a general population. This study will build on IMPACT Melanoma's ability to install, maintain, and now for the first time, target and publicize the use of dispensers for a teen population. The investigators will test scalable methods for improving the use of free sunscreen dispensers by testing DFS interventions compared with the addition of social media led by teen ambassadors. The investigators will evaluate the impact of the intervention in both parks and beaches in Boston, MA, Cambridge, MA and Maine.

Conditions

• Skin Neoplasm
• Adolescent Behavior
• Sunscreening Agents

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Dispensers, Flyers, Enhanced Signage + a social media component delivered by teen ambassadors	The study intervention is designed to increase utilization of free sunscreen dispensers, applying and reapplying sunscreen, and motivating use of other forms of sun protection by teens. IMPACT Melanoma will install and maintain free sunscreen dispensers at the study sites. Flyers will be posted at locations at the park/beach to inform people of the availability of free sunscreen and the location of the dispenser. 'Teen enhanced' signage will be present on the dispenser in the intervention parks/beaches. Teen ambassadors will share 3-5 posts to their social media platform over the course of 1 week encouraging sun protection practices and use of the free sunscreen dispenser (when the intervention is occurring at the study site).

Timeline

• Start date: 2023-06-03
• Primary completion: 2024-08-31
• Completion: 2025-12-01
• First posted: 2023-06-18
• Last updated: 2024-10-18

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States