The effect of a school-based intervention on sunbed use in Danish pupils at continuation schools: a cluster-randomized controlled trial

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.