Abstract
Skin cancer is the most common form of malignancy today, and its incidence is rapidly increasing worldwide. Sun exposure is believed to be the primary factor behind this trend. Nearly 80% of a person's lifetime sun exposure occurs before age 21. Many skin cancer risk behaviors begin in early childhood; therefore, it is important to target the pediatric population for skin cancer prevention education. Parents, teachers, day care providers, and health care professionals should make sun safety a regular part of their practice. School nurses, in particular, are in a prime setting for educating the greatest number of children about sun safety. Age-appropriate skin cancer prevention education should become a routine part of the health curriculum at all grade levels. Numerous on-line resources are available to assist school nurses in the development of age-appropriate teaching materials and sun exposure policies for schools.
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