Queen, Stephanie

Ultraviolet radiation exposure (UVR) is the most significant modifiable risk factor in preventing skin cancer. Seeking shade, and wearing hats, photoprotective clothing, sunscreen, and sunglasses are effective sun protective behaviors proven to reduce long-term morbidity and mortality from UVR. To be effective, these behaviors must be practiced consistently and adopted early within childhood. This quality improvement project explores the impact of sun protective behavior counseling in parents with children aged six months or older. Sun protective behavior counseling was given to parents in conjunction with evidence-based supplemental infographics along with examples of appropriate clothing, sunglasses, hats, and sunscreens. Successes of the project were measured with the pre- and post-test Sun Habits Survey and midpoint Sun Habits Diary and analyzed through parametric testing. Significant improvements in post-test scores were seen in sunscreen behaviors and were supported by the diary entries, with significant sunscreen use occurring on both weekend days and weekdays. Due to the favorable outcomes of this project, it is recommended that it be adapted to a larger scale and within communities.