Search

Importance: Overexposure to the sun is associated with increased risk of melanoma, the most commonly fatal form of skin cancer, and with non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC), the most commonly occurring cancer in the United States. However, there are only small indications of behavioral improvements in sun protection.Observations: Earlier attempts to identify emerging themes in skin cancer control had largely been driven by single groups of experts such as dermatologists or behavioral scientists. In contrast, 19 experts from many disciplines including dermatology, behavioral medicine, public health, anthropology, and kinesiology, along with National Cancer Institute scientific staff, possessing a wide range of expertise in other cancers, discussed knowledge gaps, interdisciplinary perspectives on sun exposure, implications for skin cancer risk and other health outcomes, and new directions. Five themes emerged: (a) Expanding the definition of risk with a need for refined categories for skin physiology and population pluralities; b) Study of co-occurrence of risky sun exposure and other health-related behaviors; c) The need for nuanced messages for at-risk populations; d) Recognition and treatment of those at risk for excessive tanning disorder; and (e) Creating scalability for sun safety interventions. Interwoven within these concepts was the compelling question of how to maximize modern technology in the community and clinical setting.Conclusions and Relevance: It was evident that integration of technologies will be required to sharpen messages to specific populations and to integrate them within multi-level interventions. Further inter-disciplinary research should address the themes discussed with the goal of building effective and sustainable approaches. Clinicians and public health experts need greater guidance on identifying higher-risk patients within a changing environment, communicating more refined messages to encourage and motivate behavioral change, and supporting efforts in the community and policy arenas that can coalesce to reduce the burden of skin cancer in the US and elsewhere.

Approximately 22% of U.S. young adults (aged 18-24 years) are smokers. Young adults typically display an interest in quitting, but it is unknown whether the evidence-based cessation programs designed for adults will be equally effective for young adults. This meta-analysis investigated the efficacy of smoking-cessation programs for this population.In 2009-2011, studies published between 2004 and 2008 that investigated smoking cessation were first found through the DHHS Clinical Practice Guidelines for Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence as well as a PubMed search (2009-2010) and were then subjected to a rigorous inclusion process. Authors were contacted to glean raw data for young adults. Fourteen studies provided data that were coded for descriptive information and aggregated using the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis, version 2.0.Among young adults, any type of intervention was more effective in producing successful smoking cessation than the control. This was the case for intent-to-treat analyses as well as complete cases. When interventions were effective for the larger adult sample, they were also effective for the younger adult sample.Although young adults tend to underutilize evidence-based cessation treatments, the current meta-analysis showed that these treatments should be as effective for young adults as they are for the general adult population. Thus, it may be useful to focus on motivating young adults to seek cessation treatment to increase utilization.