Creation Of The «Soludable» Sun Protection Accreditation Program For Schools

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Pediatrics
• Dermatology

Background:

• Childhood sun exposure is a primary risk factor for developing skin cancer later in life.
• Effective, cost-efficient school-based sun protection policies and practices are crucial for cancer prevention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create an objective sun protection accreditation program, «Soludable», for Spanish schools.
• The program aims to identify schools actively fostering sun protection behaviors among students.

Main Methods:

• A two-round Delphi technique involving expert consensus was employed.
• Experts evaluated recommendations for importance, feasibility, and complexity.
• Median scores and expert agreement percentages were calculated.

Main Results:

• The «Soludable» model includes 14 recommendations across 7 domains: leadership, communication, structure, training, curriculum, behavioral models, and student habits.
• High expert agreement was achieved regarding the importance, feasibility, and complexity of all recommendations.
• The model provides a structured framework for evaluating school sun protection initiatives.

Conclusions:

• «Soludable» is the inaugural sun protection accreditation program designed for Spanish schools.
• Further research is necessary to assess the program's reception and its impact on student sun protection behaviors.