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Sunwise Stampede: Promoting Sun Safety among Zoo Visitors

An Evidence-Based Practice

This practice has been Archived and is no longer maintained.

Description

The goal of Sunwise Stampede is to promote sun safety among parents and their children who are visiting the San Diego Zoo through simple strategies in hopes of lowering their exposure to ultraviolet rays and preventing skin damage.

The program consists of inserting sun safety tip-sheets in zoo maps, stamping activity sheets for children, discount coupons for sunscreen and sun protective hats, signs directing where to buy sun protective hats and sunscreen, signs by animal exhibits educating visitors about how animals adapt to the sun for their safety, bus tour announcements educating how animals adapt to their environment, and sunscreen sign reminders.

Goal / Mission

To encourage and increase safe sun behaviors in children and adults by limiting their exposure to ultraviolet rays through the use of sunscreen and hat wear.

Results / Accomplishments

A case-control study was used to test effectiveness of the Sunwise Stampede intervention during two time periods, winter (when 300,000 sun safety tip-sheets were distributed) and summer (when 435,000 sun safety tip-sheets were distributed). Sunscreen sales demonstrated a differential increase during both phases of study. After adjusting for number of visitors at each park, the rate of sunscreen and hats sold prior to the intervention was compared to the rate of sun-protective items sold after the intervention at both sites.The study found a 2.94-fold increase in sunscreen sales (p-value=0.011) during the winter study. The summer study exhibited a 2.04-fold increase in sunscreen sales (p-value< 0.001), and a 1.92-fold (p-value=0.007) increase in the number of featured hats sold. The observational measures of ideal hat use were inconclusive.

About this Promising Practice

Organization(s)
The San Diego Zoo and San Diego Wild Animal Park and the Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University
Primary Contact
Joni Mayer
Hardy Tower 119, 5500
Campanile Drive
San Diego, CA 92182-4162
(619) 594-6317
jmayer@mail.sdsu.edu
Topics
Health / Cancer
Health / Children's Health
Organization(s)
The San Diego Zoo and San Diego Wild Animal Park and the Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University
Source
Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Date of publication
2001
Date of implementation
1999
Location
San Diego, CA
For more details
Target Audience
Children, Families
Submitted By
Andrew Davoodian, Roxanne Sebeny, Kristin Matulich - UC Berkeley School of Public Health
Michigan Health Improvement Alliance