2019 Skin Cancer Prevention Progress Report 31 Skin Cancer Prevention Policies in Schools Schools are an important setting for addressing skin cancer prevention among youth. Students are typically at school during midday hours, when UV radiation from the sun is strongest. Recess and other outdoor activities during midday can put students at risk if they are not protected. School policies can promote skin cancer prevention for students and encourage behaviors that will help them avoid skin cancer later in life. Table 7 shows the percentage of school districts that require or recommend specific sun-safety practices in 2016, based on data from CDC’s 2016 School Health Policies and Practices Study. Although requirements regarding sun-safety practices are rare, almost half of school districts recommend that schools allow (46.9%) or encourage (44.3%) students to apply sunscreen while at school.32 Slightly less than 40% of school districts recommended that schools encourage use of hats, visors, or protective clothing when in the sun during the school day. Even fewer districts recommended encouraging scheduling outdoor activities to avoid peak sun intensity (33.2%) or wearing sunglasses (24.1%). About 20% of school districts provided funding for professional development or offered professional development for school faculty and staff on how to implement school-wide policies and programs related to sun safety.32 Table 7 Percentage of School Districts that Require or Recommend that Schools Implement Specific Sun-Safety Practices, 2016 (N=544 school districts) Practice Require, % Recommend, % Allow students to apply sunscreen while at school. 2.6 46.9 Encourage students to apply sunscreen while at school. 1.5 44.3 Encourage students to wear protective clothing (such as long-sleeved shirts or long pants) when in the sun during the school day. 1.3 39.3 Encourage students to wear hats or visors when in the sun during the school day. 0.5 38.5 Schedule outdoor activities to avoid times when the sun is at peak intensity during the school day. 3.9 33.2 Encourage students to wear sunglasses when in the sun during the school day. 0.5 24.1 Source: School Health Policies and Practices Study, 2016.32
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