Overview | Priorities
for Skin Cancer
Excessive exposure to the sun causes most skin cancers, and numerous studies have shown that sunburns during the first 20 years of life are linked to melanoma, the most fatal form of skin cancers. Sun safety practices, such as using suncreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 15 or greater, wearing protective clothing, hats and sunglasses, and seeking shade during peak sun exposure times, can prevent sun burns. Among Maine adults, nearly one-third report that they always or nearly always wear sunscreen. However, only one in five Maine high school students wear sunscreen when outdoors.
Priorities for Skin Cancer
The main priority for skin cancer prevention is to reduce the risk of skin cancer in Maine.
The objectives that will be worked on to meet this goal are:
1. Increase awareness of skin cancer prevention and detection through at least five annual education opportunities for Maine primary care physicians by 2010.
2. Increase to 50% the number of municipal parks and recreation departments with a sun protection policy or guidelines developed by 2010.
3. Increase to 90% the number of hospitals with birthing units that provide sun safety education to parents or newborns.
4. Increase to 15% the proportion of Maine youth who use a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher when outside form more then one hour.
5. Increase awareness and compliance of state law in regards to tanning regulations.
Skin Cancer Workgroup Members
Amy Black, Maine Center for Public Health
Abby DiPasquale, Maine Municipal Association
Tammy English, Central Maine Medical Center
Deb Girard, Melanoma Foundation of New England
Chriss Hayden, City of Portland/Public Health Division
Erik Kostelnik, Dermatology Associates
Kim Lynch, Mid Coast Hospital
Kent Main, Schering-Oncology Biotech
Diane Peterson, Mercy Hospital (CHAIR)
Holly Richards, Maine Comprehensive Cancer Control Program
Ken Smith, Genentech BioOncology (CHAIR)
Donna Walsh, Inland Hospital
Peter Spears , Maine Department of Education
To date, most of the Consortium's prevention efforts have focused on skin cancer prevention. Activities include:
1) REVISED No Sun for Baby Manual – a hospital-based initiative providing sun safety materials to parents of babies born during Skin Cancer Awareness Month.
Twelve Hospitals received the No Sun for Baby Mini grant funding...congratulations to the following hospitals:
Blue Hill HospitalCentral Maine Medical CenterHoulton Regional HospitalMaine General Medical Center (Augusta and Waterville sites)
Maine Coast Memorial HospitalMaine Medical CenterMercy HospitalMiles Memorial HospitalNorthern Maine Medical CenterPenobscot Valley HospitalSouthern Maine Medical CenterYork Hospital
2) Protect the Skin You're In Day – a project with the Portland Sea Dogs, in which sunscreen and educational materials are distributed, and public service announcements are made throughout a designated game.
3) Development and implementation of sun protection policies for campers and staff of the City of Portland Parks and Recreation's summer programs.4) Publication of “A Model Community: Skin Cancer Prevention Project in Maine” by Chriss Hayden in the CDC Preventing Chronic Disease Journal in April 2004.
http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2004/apr/03_0032.htm
5) Creation of a Sun Safety Brochure: Please feel free to make copies and distribute.
6) Creation of a Sun Safety Bookmark: Please feel free to make copies and distribute.
7) Creation of a Sun Safety Community Power Point Presentation. Please feel free to download and use within your own organization.
Sun Safety & Skin Cancer Power Point Presentation
8) Partnership with the Melanoma Foundation of New England. For Melanoma Cancer information, visit www.mfne.org
Precious_Children - a brochure of the Melanoma Foundation of New England of children and sun protection.
For information on the Skin Cancer Task force or to attend a meeting please contact Ken Smith at 329-7208 or Diane Peterson at 771-5240
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Skin
Cancer Education for Primary Care
The following are a couple sites that offer skin cancer education with
CME credits attached.
The
first link has a fee involved with signing up for the program.
http://www.vlh.com/shared/courses/course_info.cfm?courseno=1778
The second link is available to download free from the Texas Medical
Organization. If CME are desired there is an activity sheet to be filled
out and a small fee.