METHODS
Study-Design Overview
Ten communities were matched into 5 pairs on the basis
of school and key community characteristics and then
randomly assigned to intervention or control status.
Baseline observations of sun-protection behaviors for
adolescents entering 6th to 8th grade occurred in the
summer of 2000 at beach/pool settings. Communitywide
intervention activities were conducted for 3 years,
beginning in the following fall. Although elements were
provided all year, the majority of activities occurred from
early spring until early fall. Follow-up observations at
beach/pool settings occurred in 2001, 2002, and 2003.
Our institution’s committee for the protection of human
subjects approved the study protocol.