Many melanoma survivors not protecting their children from sun exposure

the Oncology Nurse Advisor take:

According to a new study published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, researchers from University of California, Los Angeles, in Los Angeles, California, have found that children whose parents are survivors of melanoma are not receiving the best sun protection.

For the study, researchers sought to investigate whether parents who were melanoma survivors were providing their children with the best possible protection from the sun and ultraviolet radiation. Children of parents with melanoma are automatically at an increased risk for developing the disease due to their family history. Researchers identified 300 melanoma survivors with children under the age of 17 from the California Cancer Registry.

Participants were asked about attitudes toward melanoma prevention for 3 years. Results showed that 79% of participants' children use sunscreen often or always, 30% wore a hat, 23% stayed in the shade, and 8% reported that their children wore sunglasses.

Furthermore, 43% of parents surveyed said their child had a sunburn in the last year. The researchers note that although sunscreen is important for protecting against the sun, it is not enough to protect against UV radiation exposure.

The researchers will use their findings to develop intervention programs to help melanoma survivors properly protect their children from sun exposure and UV radiation.