KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON - It’s the first day of summer, and it is time to get SunWise! A nationwide survey shows Seattle area residents are near the bottom in use of sunscreen while skin cancer is one the most diagnosed forms of cancer in Washington state. So, King County is partnering with the Environmental Protection Agency to promote SunWise behavior to local children.

Seattle ranked 29th out of 32 in a 2007 nationwide poll conducted by the American Academy of Dermatology testing respondents' knowledge, attitudes and behaviors toward tanning and sun protection. At the same time, melanoma – the deadliest form of skin cancer, is one of the most diagnosed forms of cancer in Washington state. While overall death rates from skin cancer remain low, death rates among men are almost twice that of women.

Because children are particularly vulnerable to the damage from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays, King County is promoting sun safety for children as an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) SunWise community. Executive Sims has proclaimed June 21, 2007 SunWise Awareness Day for all of King County and over the summer, King County and the EPA will be reaching out to area summer camps, day camps and local child care providers with information and materials, including a teaching kit and UV-sensitive wristbands, that make sun safety fun for children.

“We have so many wonderful choices to enjoy our mild summer climate, but we need to be smarter about protecting our skin in the sun,” said King County Executive Ron Sims “Even on cloudy days, the sun’s rays can damage skin, so be sure to protect it with sunscreen and appropriate clothing.”

“While skin cancer is relatively common, the good news is that it’s largely preventable,” says Dr. David Fleming, Director and Chief Health Officer for Public Health – Seattle & King County. “Simple sun-safe habits will take only a few moments in your day, but provide a lifetime of protection for your skin. It’s especially important to teach sun safety to children at an early age, so they have the greatest protection through their most vulnerable years.”

Despite evidence that sun damage starts from childhood and builds up over time, many people, especially adolescents, still practice unsafe sun protection. The American Cancer Society reports that 69 percent of 11 to 18 year olds reported having been sunburned, but only 39 percent reported regular use of sunscreen. A Skin Cancer Foundation poll showed that only 59 percent of respondents use sunscreen occasionally, while only 11 percent use sunscreen daily. Forty percent never use sunscreen.

Here are some simple ways for everyone to protect their skin for a SunWise summer:

• Apply sunscreens with at least a SPF 15, even on cloudy days when 80 percent of the sun's rays can penetrate the clouds. Don’t forget about lips – try a lip balm with SPF 15.
  
  
• Limit sun exposure, especially during the peak sun hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. when the sun's rays are the most intense.
  
  
• Wear protective clothing during prolonged periods in the sun, including a wide-brimmed hat, long-sleeved shirt and pants, and UV-protective sunglasses.

For more sun protection tips, visit Public Health’s Child Care Health Program site http://www.metrokc.gov/health/childcare/sunprotection.htm.

For more information about the EPA’s SunWise program, visit http://www.epa.gov/sunwise.

For more information about sun safety, visit the American Cancer Society http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/PED_7.asp?sitearea=PED.

Executive Sims proclaims June 21, 2007 to be SunWise Awareness Day.

Providing effective and innovative health and disease prevention services for over 1.8 million residents and visitors of King County, Public Health – Seattle & King County works for safer and healthier communities for everyone, every day.

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