UV protection for young athletes: using participatory program planning to develop a sports schools program.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Sports Medicine
• Dermatology

Background:

• Melanoma incidence is rising, linked to UV radiation exposure.
• Student athletes have elevated skin cancer risk due to extensive sun exposure.
• The Clever in Sun and Shade Program (CSSP) promotes UV protection (UVP) and strategies in sports schools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate the CSSP for sports schools using participatory program planning (PPP).
• To enhance UV protection (UVP) attitudes and behaviors among student athletes.
• To create feasible and effective UVP strategies for sports school environments.

Main Methods:

• Program development followed WHO recommendations and utilized PPP.
• Participatory groups with students, teachers, and coaches refined program materials.
• Program acceptance and feasibility were assessed in multiple schools through content analysis and statistics.

Main Results:

• Initial attitudes and behaviors regarding UVP were suboptimal in less than 50% of participants.
• PPP effectively adapted materials to address specific barriers and solutions.
• The majority of students responded positively to the finalized program materials (80-86%).

Conclusions:

• The PPP process significantly shaped the CSSP concept and materials.
• Participant involvement is crucial for creating relevant and feasible UVP programs.
• CSSP offers a free, integrated UVP solution for sports schools, with planned dissemination.