research

Sun Safety

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S. Klein Buendel (KB) develops sun safety projects to raise awareness about the disease in places that many people don’t commonly associate with skin cancer risk, including worksites, ski resorts and playgrounds at schools. Also, KB is located in Colorado, which, due to its altitude and number of sunny days, has an increased risk of melanoma.

Go Sun Smart

Go Sun Smart, a project funded by the National Cancer Institute (CA104876; D. Buller), was designed to improve sun protection among employees and guests of ski resorts across North America. KB visited these resorts and trained managers on educating their employees about sun safety. Our team also spread the Go Sun Smart message to resort guests with visual sun safety materials and a web site conveying sun safety messages. More

Featured on the Cancer Control P.L.A.N.E.T.

Walkosz B, BullerD, Andersen PA et al. Increasing sun protection in outdoor recreation: a theory-based health communication program. American Journal of Preventative Medicine, 2008;34(6):502-9.

Sustainability of the Go Sun Smart Program in a Recreation Industry

In this project (CA159840; D. Buller, B. Walkosz) researchers will return to the workplaces participating in the initial Go Sun Smart Study and perform a final assessment of whether they continue to use Go Sun Smart. The study hopes to help fill a gap in the understanding of the sustainability of prevention programs and explore the effectiveness of dissemination strategies.

Buller DB, Walkosz BJ, Andersen PA, Scott MD, Dignan MB, Cutter GR, Zhang X, & Kane IL. Sustainability of the dissemination of an occupational sun protection program in a randomized trial. Health Education and Behavior, 2012;39(4):498-502 NIHMS#383059

Solar Cell: A Mobile UV Manager for Smart Phones

Through a contract with the National Cancer Institute (N44-CO-17004; D. Buller), this project will develop Solar Cell, a mobile smart phone application which combines personal and behavior data with geo-spatial data (i.e., UV Index forecast, time, and location) to deliver actionable sun protection advice to reduce risk of skin cancer, for Android smart phones and iPhone platforms.

Sun Safety Ink! A Skin Cancer Prevention Program for the Tattoo Community

Sun Safety Ink! (SSI!) is an exploratory study funded by the National Cancer Instiute (CA173654;B. Walkosz) that aims to develop a skin cancer prevention program targeted to clients of licensed tattoo salons. Tattoo salons have been selected as the unique venue for this study because tattoo aftercare recommendations can include sun protection, and salons offer an opportunity to reach younger adults who are significantly less likely to practice sun safety.

Norms and Built Environment: Use of Shade in U.S. and Australian City Parks (SHADE)

SHADE is a multi-national research project that aims to explore the use of built shade in passive recreation areas (e.g., picnic areas) within public parks. Researchers will introduce shade structures and compare the use of recreation areas with and without shade structures in parks in Denver, Colorado and Melbourne, Australia. Australia has experienced a sustained campaign promoting sun safety for over 20 years, so this study will determine whether built shade was used more in Melbourne than in Denver. The study is a collaborative effort between Klein Buendel, Inc. and the Cancer Council of Victoria and was funded by the National Cancer Institute (CA140367; D. Buller).

Sun Safe Schools

Sun Safe Schools, a project funded by the National Cancer Institute (CA100285; D. Buller), was designed to create awareness about sun safety at the administrative level as well as in the classroom. KB developed a system to identify the key person who has the ability to influence policy change. We provided these people with sample policies in an effort to help them adopt their own. More

Buller DB, Reynolds KD, Ashley JL, Buller MK, Kane IL, Stabell CL, Massie KL, Liu X, Cutter GR. Motivating public school districts to adopt sun protection policies: a randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2011; 41(3):309-316. PMCID: PMC3167690

Reynolds KD, Buller DB, French SA, Buller MK, Ashley JL. School sun protection policies: measure development and assessments in two regions of the United States. J School Health in press. PMC Journal – In Process

Sun Safe Workplaces

Sun Safe Workplaces, a project funded by the National Cancer Institute (CA134705; D. Buller, B. Walkosz), is being developed based on elements of several previous projects including Go Sun Smart, Sun Safe Schools, and Sun Safe Colorado. Sun Safe Workplaces will make an effort to not only change workplace policy to include sun safety practices but will also incorporate trainings and supplies to raise awareness.

Sunny Days, Healthy Ways®

Sunny Days Healthy Ways (SDHW) is a sun safety curriculum that uses a comprehensive, interdisciplinery approach to teaching skin cancer prevention skills to children in grades K through eight. SDHW was created with grants from the National Cancer Institute (CA76755; M. Buller) and the Arizona Disease Control Commission. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Cancer Society acknowledge SDHW as a national resource for complying with their recommendations for how schools can help prevent skin cancer. More