Recommendations
In order to educate different populations on the danger of skin cancer and the importance of its prevention, numerous countries have implemented health interventions. Many of them focus on educating children, as damage from UV radiation is likely to occur before 20 years of age, but bring skin cancer symptoms later in adulthood (Braam et al., 2012; Pappo et al., 2012). Moreover, greater UV exposure history in countries with higher, stronger, and more prevalent radiation was found to increase melanoma risk, especially for exposures at a young age (Tatalovich et al., 2006).
In the United States, The Community Preventive Services Task Force (TF), an independent group of public health experts, provided a thorough list of recommendations after conducting a review of present-day public health interventions regarding UV radiation protection (Watson et al., 2016). TF recommended that especially for children, educational interventions could provide information on the danger and prevention methods of UV radiation and thus, skin cancer, by implementing creative media like modeling and role-playing along with more straightforward lectures. TF additionally recommended improving current government policies to increase the availability, in terms of both finance and accessibility, of sunscreen and other sun-protective features like shade (i.e. sun-protective umbrellas at beaches and parks), as well as providing guidelines for healthy sun behaviors (Watson et al., 2016). Some places to apply these recommendations are community settings, especially those with high child populations like childcare centers, schools, and outdoor recreation.
However, the aforementioned impacts of racial misconception demonstrate the need to better inform darker-skinned populations on melanoma skin cancer and the importance of sunscreen. Because darker-skinned populations of blacks and Hispanics often believe that they are immune from melanoma, health clinics must provide them with proper education and encourage sun-protection behaviors whenever possible (Gupta et al., 2016). Moreover, because the prevalence and mortality rate of melanoma is not necessarily correlated, public health interventions must aim to promote universal sun protection (Calderón et al., 2019; Ma et al., 2007; Pollack et al., 2011).
Conclusion
Despite the higher prevalence of melanoma skin cancer among white populations, black populations were found to lack the proper health education and care, leading to a greater mortality rate. However, the greater prevalence of melanoma in white populations has caused a racial misconception regarding black immunity to skin cancer, hindering melanoma prevention for black populations. In order to decrease this health gap, public health interventions regarding melanoma and its prevention must include black populations. Moreover, health facilities must better educate black populations, especially children, about melanoma and its non-genetic factors. Lastly, prevention methods like sunscreen must be made financially available to ensure proper prevention of greater populations. By encouraging universal sun protection, we can help protect the next generation from the devastations of melanoma skin cancer.