Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Formative Research
Date Submitted: Apr 21, 2023
Date Accepted: Sep 8, 2023
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
Improving Sun Safety Among Children in Middle Childhood: A Pilot and Feasibility Trial of the Sun Safe Families Facebook Intervention
ABSTRACT
Background:
Middle childhood (ages 8-12) is a critical period for forming behavioral habits and reducing risk for the development of skin cancer later in life. Professional agencies recommend that all children engage in regular sun protection behaviors and avoid the sun during peak daytime hours. There are few behavioral interventions focused on improving sun protection behaviors among children in middle childhood.
Objective:
This study evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of Sun Safe Families, a Facebook group intervention for parents of children between 8 and 12 years of age.
Methods:
Ninety-two parents of 8 to 12 year old children were enrolled in Facebook groups, which ran for six weeks with twice daily messages. Parents completed pre- and post-intervention surveys and a treatment evaluation.
Results:
Rate of parent enrollment into the intervention (52%) was good, and follow-up survey completion (94.6%) was excellent. On average, participants viewed 68% of posts, “liked” 16% of posts, commented on 15% of posts, and voted on 46% of polls. Treatment evaluations were very positive. Pre-post improvements in child sun protection, sun exposure, and sunburn were statistically significant (p<.01; moderate effect sizes). There were statistically significant increases in planning and self-efficacy (p<.05), family norms and parent communication and facilitation (p <.01) for child sun protection pre- to post-intervention.
Conclusions:
This pilot and feasibility study demonstrated high satisfaction and engagement with the social media intervention, with promising preliminary effects on child sun protection behaviors and parent sun protection attitudes and communication with their child.
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