A scoping review: Community-based interventions for primary prevention of skin cancer

Summary: Abstract Body: Many public health programs aim to reduce skin cancer burden by promoting sun protection habits, but heterogeneity in community-based strategies and outcome methodologies complicates efficacy comparisons. This review aims to summarize intervention strategies for primary skin cancer prevention and the study designs used to evaluate them. A systematic search on sun protection was conducted on July 16, 2023, across PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, Cochrane Library, and PsycInfo. Included articles evaluated sun protection programs, presented original research, and were published in English within the past 10 years. Two reviewers voted on inclusion and exclusion, with a third resolving disagreements. Data extraction focused on study methodologies and intervention strategies. Of 7,342 abstracts, 451 underwent full-text review, and 37 met inclusion criteria: 16 randomized controlled trials, 17 pre-post studies, and 4 non-randomized trials. Twenty-one studies examined school-based interventions, while 16 addressed broader community-based approaches. SunSmart’s diffusion of innovations theory and similar frameworks were used in 20 studies to drive early and sustained behavior change. Learning adjuncts, such as facial aging software, mobile apps, text reminders, UV photos, wearable sensors, and interactive exercises, appeared in 24 studies. However, only 7 studies provided concurrent access to sunscreen, highlighting a gap in community-based interventions aimed at improving sun protection accessibility. While many programs emphasize sun safety education to change behavior, lack of access to sunscreen or UV protective clothing may limit adoption. Dermatologists should therefore consider accessibility when making recommendations and incorporate sunscreen as a standard patient resource to encourage adherence. Colin Burnette¹, Lachlan Anderson², Emily Deehan¹, John Meisenheimer³, Yvonne Nong⁴, Robert Dellavalle³ 1. College of Osteopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, United States. 2. College of Medicine, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX, United States. 3. Department of Dermatology, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, United States. 4. Department of Internal Medicine, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, New York, NY, United States. Clinical Research: Epidemiology and Observational Research