Abstract
Purpose
To examine the effect of an educational intervention on sunbed use and intentions
and attitudes toward sunbed use in 14- to 18-year-olds at continuation schools.
Methods
We randomized 33 continuation schools either to receive the educational intervention
(n = 16) or to be controls (n = 17). Intervention schools received an e-magazine addressing
the health risks of sunbed use. Information on behavior and intentions and attitudes
toward sunbed use was gathered through self-administrated questionnaires before the
intervention and at 6 months as a follow-up. The effect of the intervention was examined
by multilevel linear regression and logistic regression.
Results
Sunbed use was significantly lower at follow-up among pupils at intervention schools
versus pupils at control schools (girls: odds ratio .60, 95% confidence interval .42–.86;
Boys: odds ratio .58, 95% confidence interval .35–.96). The intervention had no effect
on intention to use sunbeds or attitudes toward sunbed use. The analyses revealed
a significant impact of school on attitudes toward sunbed; the intraclass correlation
coefficient was estimated to be 6.0% and 7.8% for girls and boys, respectively.
Conclusions
The findings from the present study provide new evidence of a positive effect of an
educational intervention on sunbed use among pupils aged 14–18 years at continuation
schools.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: October 11, 2013
Accepted:
August 16,
2013
Received:
April 30,
2013
Identification
Copyright
© 2014 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
