Cancer Research Archives - KB Collaboratory

Cancer Prevention Research Presented at ASPO

April 15, 2026 Klein Buendel

Klein Buendel investigators and their collaborators presented research from two large studies at the 50^th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Preventive Oncology on April 12-14 in Denver, Colorado. The theme of the conference was “50 Years of Impact: Empowering Communities Through Cancer Prevention Research.”

*Klein Buendel authors are bolded.

ORAL PRESENTATION 1

Title: A Confederate Study of Indoor Tanning Facility Compliance with Laws

Presenter: Dr. Carolyn Heckman

Co-authors: Anna Mitarotondo, Melissa Goldstein, Rucha Janodia, Ileana Gonzalez, Dr. David Buller, Julia Berteletti

This submission was designated as a Best of ASPO Abstract.

Because indoor tanning is a known cause of skin cancer, state laws and federal regulations restricting indoor tanning for minors have been implemented: 22 states and the District of Columbia (DC) ban minors under age 18 from indoor tanning, 22 states have other age and parental involvement restrictions, and 6 states have no restrictions on minor access to indoor tanning. The assessed indoor tanning facility law compliance, hypothesized to be insufficient and inconsistent.

Trained and supervised pseudo-patrons called randomly selected indoor tanning facilities (indoor tanning salons, beauty salons/spas, gyms, apartment buildings) in 50 states and DC, posing as minors one year younger than the state’s permitted age to indoor tan (age 17 in states banning indoor tanning under 18) or age 16 in states with no age restriction. Using a semi-structured script, pseudo-patrons asked about scheduling an indoor tanning session, unlimited indoor tanning (contrary to FDA guidelines), risk of skin burns, and parental involvement requirements. Responses were coded, with discrepancies resolved by consensus, and summarized descriptively.

A total of 504 calls were completed to 206 indoor tanning salons, 111 gyms, 101 spas/beauty salons, and 86 apartment buildings. Overall, 55% of facilities would allow pseudo-patrons to book an appointment or “walk in” for indoor tanning, despite being underage, compared to 32% in states with under-18 bans. In states with minor restrictions, indoor tanning salons were least likely (48%) to permit minor indoor tanning and gyms, most likely to do so (56%). Twenty-six percent (26%) of staff did not ask pseudo-patrons their age, irrespective of law type. Forty-four percent (44%) of gyms/apartments did not require membership/tenancy to indoor tan. Most facilities (92%) offered unlimited indoor tanning packages or unlimited access to tanning beds when open. Only 52% of facility staff acknowledged that pseudo-patrons’ skin could be burned, when asked.

Although many states have laws restricting indoor tanning by minors, indoor tanning facilities were commonly non-compliant with age restrictions, suggesting inadequate law awareness and/or enforcement. Strategies must be identified to implement indoor tanning laws effectively and realize their benefits, including preventing skin burns, skin cancer, and other health consequences. Ongoing analyses are evaluating compliance when scheduling appointments online and by additional law provisions, state demographics, and U.S. region.

This research was supported by a grant to Rutgers University from the National Cancer Institute (CA244370; Dr. Carolyn Heckman and Dr. David Buller, Multiple Principal Investigators).

POSTER 1

Title: Correlates of Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Among a Sample of Emerging Adults Aged 18-26 Living in Rural Locations in the Western United States

Presenter: Dr. David Buller

Co-authors: Dr. Deanna Kepka, Dr. Echo Warner, Dr. Evelinn Borrayo, Dr. Andrew Sussman, Alishia Kinsey, Dr. W. Gill Woodall, Dr. David Buller

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination status and correlates were examined in a sample of emerging adults living in rural locations in the western United States. Eight hundred and ten (n=810) emerging adults residing in rural areas in 17 western U.S. states were recruited from online survey panels or by social media advertising from August 2024-2025 for a randomized trial. Emerging adults reported at baseline their HPV vaccine uptake status, including number of doses received. Using logistic regression analysis, we tested the association of demographics, attitudes, health care, and social media use with HPV vaccine uptake status (0=no/don’t know; 1=vaccinated) and vaccine doses received (0=0 or 1 dose/don’t know; 1=2 or 3 doses).

Overall, 424 (52.3%) rural emerging adults reported being vaccinated for HPV and 184 (22.7%) not being vaccinated, and 202 (24.9%) did not know. Of the 424 emerging adults vaccinated, 41 emerging adults (9.7%) recalled receiving one dose, 88 (20.7%) two doses, and 101 (23.8%) three doses of the vaccine, but 194 emerging adults (45.8%) did not know. More rural emerging adults who were vaccinated were female, more educated, attended religious services less frequently, had a personal/family history of cancer, were more confident vaccines are safe, and had less constraints on getting vaccinated. More rural emerging adults with multiple vaccine doses were older, female, visited a physician for a routine health check-up more recently, were more confident that vaccines are safe, and had less constraints on getting vaccinated.

Uptake of HPV vaccination among rural emerging adults (52.3%) was slightly higher than the national rate in the 2022 National Health Interview Survey (47.4%). Emerging adults need advice on how to confirm vaccination status (such as checking with parent, physician, or vaccine registry) when promoting catch-up HPV vaccination. HPV vaccination interventions should educate on vaccine safety/ constraints, how it can reduce personal/family cancer concerns, and religious groups that support it. Medical providers should offer HPV vaccination to emerging adults during routine health check-ups. Male and less educated emerging adults would benefit from intervention.

This research from the #4Corners4Health study was supported by a grant to Klein Buendel from the National Cancer Institute (CA268037; Dr. David Buller and Dr. Andrew Sussman, Multiple Principal Investigators). Other collaborators are from the University of Arizona, the University of Colorado, the University of Utah, and Colorado State University.

POSTER 2

Title: Associations Between Food Insecurity and Dietary Intake and Nicotine Use Among Rural Emerging Adults in the Western United States

Presenter: Dr. Megan Skiba

Co-authors: Dr. Doug Taren, Dr. Dolores Guest, Dr. Kim Henry, Dr. Judith Gordon, Noah Chirico, Dr. Echo Warner, Alishia Kinsey, Angela Jung, Dr. Andrew Sussman, Dr. David Buller

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the associations between food insecurity, dietary intake, and tobacco/nicotine use among emerging adults aged 18-26 years living in rural areas of the western United States.

This analysis used baseline data from 810 rural emerging adults participating in a randomized trial evaluating a social media-delivered cancer prevention intervention. Emerging adults completed self-report surveys assessing demographics, dietary intake (NCI Dietary Screener Questionnaire), and any nicotine product use (yes/no) in the past 30 days. Dietary measures included predicted intake of fruit and vegetable (servings/day), fiber (g/day), added sugar from sugar sweetened beverages (tsp/day), and red/processed meat (frequency/week). Food insecurity was categorized as very low food secure, low food secure, and high food secure from a single item measuring worry about running out of food before having money to buy more. Associations between food insecurity and dietary intake or tobacco/nicotine use were examined using linear or logistic regression models, adjusting for significant demographic covariates. Linear trend tests assessed graded relationships across food insecurity levels.

Of emerging adults (mean age 22.7 years), 62% reported low or very low food security. Food insecurity was associated with race, sex, education, and employment and were used as model covariates. A positive linear trend was observed between food insecurity and added sugar from sugar sweetened beverages, with very low food secure emerging adults consuming an average of 13.0 tsp/day from sugar sweetened beverages. There were no significant associations between food insecurity and fruit and vegetable, fiber, or red/processed meat intake, although fruit and vegetable and fiber intake were low overall (2.3 ± 0.6 servings/day and 15.1 ± 3.4 g/day, respectively). Percent of emerging adults using nicotine was greater with increasing levels of food insecurity: 24% among those with high food security, 41% among those with low food security, and 53% among those with very low food security. Odds increased 2.5 times for each stepwise increase in food insecurity.

Experiencing food insecurity may be a determinant of cancer-preventive health behaviors in rural emerging adults. Very low food security may be an important target for interventions aimed at improving multiple cancer preventive health behaviors among rural emerging adults.

Collaborator Spotlight: Arizona Investigators on the #4Corners 4Health Project

November 4, 2024 Klein Buendel

Thirteen scientists from universities and NCI Comprehensive Cancer Centers in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah are collaborating with Dr. David Buller, Klein Buendel’s Director of Research, on the #4Corners4Health study (CA268037). This Collaborator Spotlight features the Investigators from the State of Arizona.

The 4Corners study aims to aid rural emerging adults (ages 18-26 years) in making informed decisions that reduce cancer risk factors and prevent cancer later in life and to help emerging adults evaluate and resist misinformation and marketing that promote cancer risk behaviors. This will be accomplished using a social media campaign designed with community advisors for diverse young adults living in rural counties in the Four Corners states (AZ, CO, NM, and UT). Social media may reach emerging adults more than interventions through other community channels (for example, clinics, schools, and workplaces) and for lower cost in the geographically dispersed, underserved rural communities in the Mountain West.

Dr. Judith Gordon, Co-Investigator, University of Arizona

Judith S. Gordon, Ph.D., is a professor and Associate Dean for Research in the University of Arizona College of Nursing. She is also a professor in the University of Arizona Department of Family and Community Medicine. Dr. Gordon’s areas of expertise include public health tobacco cessation and vaping interventions delivered in dental and medical settings, self-help tobacco and vaping cessation programs, educational tobacco and vaping cessation programs for healthcare practitioners, computer-based tobacco and vaping prevention programs, multi-behavioral interventions to address weight, physical activity, and tobacco, the use of mobile apps for lifestyle change and medication adherence, and the use of guided imagery for tobacco cessation, lifestyle change, exercise motivation, and stress reduction. Dr. Gordon has been a Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator on more than 40 projects funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. She has authored and co-authored numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals and has presented widely at national and international scientific conferences. She has served on several proposal review committees, editorial boards, and professional societies.

Dr. Meghan Skiba, Co-Investigator, University of Arizona

Dr. Meghan Skiba, PhD, MS, MPH, RDN, is an Assistant Professor in the College of Nursing Biobehavioral Health Science Division at the University of Arizona. She received her doctorate in Health Behavior Health Promotion from the Mel & Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. She has additional formal graduate training in epidemiology and nutritional sciences, and completed post-doctoral training at Oregon Health & Science University. Dr. Skiba has extensive training in nutritional sciences, health promotion, behavior measurement, and epidemiology. The focus of her research is to connect cancer survivors and their caregivers to the tools and skills to live their healthiest life. She focuses on healthy aging, women’s health, rural populations, and dyadic health. She takes an integrative approach to research to understand the synergistic effects of nutrition, exercise, energetics, and bioactives and their roles in managing accelerated biological aging in cancer survivorship. She strives to build an innovative research program that incorporates analysis of large datasets, community-based participatory research methods, and sequential interventions to better understand and mitigate and the biological aging cascade in cancer.

Collaborator Spotlight: Utah Investigators on the #4Corners 4Health Project

July 23, 2024 Klein Buendel

The 4Corners study aims to aid rural emerging adults (ages 18-26 years) in making informed decisions that reduce cancer risk factors and prevent cancer later in life and help emerging adults evaluate and resist misinformation and marketing that promote cancer risk behaviors. This will be accomplished using a social media campaign designed with community advisors for diverse young adults living in rural counties in the Four Corners states (AZ, CO, NM, and UT). Social media may reach emerging adults more than interventions through other community channels (for example, clinics, schools, and workplaces) and for lower cost in the geographically dispersed, underserved rural communities in the Mountain West.

Dr. Deanna Kepka, Co-Investigator, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah

Deanna Kepka, PhD, MPH, is a Huntsman Cancer Institute research investigator and a tenured Associate Professor in the College of Nursing. Dr. Kepka is dedicated to improving the quality of primary health care services for cancer prevention and control among underserved populations locally and globally. She has specific expertise in HPV vaccination, HPV-related cancer prevention, and health equity research. She is the founder and director of the Mountain West HPV Vaccination Coalition and the Director of Global and International Health in the College of Nursing.

As a Pre-Doctoral Biobehavioral Cancer Prevention and Control Fellow at the University of Washington and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Dr. Kepka developed a rural-focused community-based HPV vaccination intervention that included fotonovela educational pamphlets and a radionovela. These educational tools improved knowledge and sparked interest in the HPV vaccine among rural Latino parents. She also received training in epidemiological and behavioral research methods as a National Cancer Institute Cancer Prevention Post-Doctoral Fellow. As a Fellow, she received the Cancer Prevention Fellowship Merit Award. In the years since, Dr. Kepka’s work has been recognized with 20 awards for excellence at the international, national, local levels.

Dr. Echo Warner, Co-Investigator, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah

Echo Warner, Ph.D., MPH, is an Associate Member of the Huntsman Cancer Institute and an Assistant Professor in the College of Nursing. Her research targets improving cancer health outcomes and reducing cancer health disparities among adolescent and young adult cancer patients, survivors, and care partners. Dr. Warner has experience with diverse patient populations and an extensive range of methods and analytical approaches, especially in mixed-methods study designs and data integration. Her research establishes methods to study social media and online health (mis)information to improve cancer information seeking online.

Dr. David Wetter, Co-Investigator, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah

David Wetter, Ph.D., M.S., is the distinguished Jon M. and Karen Huntsman Presidential Professor, Director of the Center for Health Outcomes and Population Equity (HOPE), Senior Director for Cancer Health Equity Science, and Associate Director for Practice Engagement and Translation at the Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute at the University of Utah and Huntsman Cancer Institute. His research focuses on promoting health equity in cancer and chronic disease through translational research. Specific research topics include (a) theoretical models of health risk behaviors; (b) the development and evaluation of theoretically-based interventions; and, (c) translational research to implement and disseminate those interventions in real world settings. His work addresses populations that have been historically marginalized, with a major focus on low socioeconomic status, rural/frontier, and diverse groups. Dr. Wetter has conducted an extensive portfolio of grants funded by the National Institutes of Health over 25 years. He has published nearly 300 peer-reviewed manuscripts. His research program has received awards from the Society of Behavioral Medicine, American Society for Preventive Oncology, Society for Health Psychology, and AstraZeneca/Scientific American.

Collaborator Spotlight: New Mexico Investigators on the #4Corners4Health Project

May 29, 2024 Klein Buendel

More than a dozen scientists from universities and NCI Comprehensive Cancer Centers in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah are collaborating with Dr. David Buller, Klein Buendel’s Director of Research, on the #4Corners4Health study (CA268037). This Collaborator Spotlight features the Investigators from the State of New Mexico.

Dr. Andrew Sussman, Multiple Principal Investigator, University of New Mexico

Andrew Sussman, PhD, MCRP, is a medical anthropologist and an Associate Professor in the Department of Family Community Medicine and the Associate Director for Community Outreach and Engagement at the University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center (Cancer Control and Population Sciences). At the Cancer Center, he served as the Founding Director of the Behavioral Measurement and Population Science Shared Resource.

Dr. Sussman has expertise in qualitative and mixed method research, formative assessment, and process evaluation. His research focuses on cancer care delivery research, patient-provider communication, clinical decision making, health service delivery, community-based participatory research, and health disparities in primary care and community settings. He has received funding to conduct research on cancer prevention, obesity and diabetes, substance use, and complementary and alternative medicine, among other topics.

In addition to research, he teaches and mentors students, and serves on several university committees, including evaluating the Physician Assistant Program in the Department of Family and Community Medicine and the Advancing Institutional Mentoring Excellence Program through the Office for Diversity.

Dr. Cindy Blair, Co-Investigator, University of New Mexico

Cindy Blair, MPH, PhD, is an epidemiologist and an Associate Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of New Mexico. She also has an appointment at the Comprehensive Cancer Center in Cancer Control and Population Sciences.

Dr. Blair’s research focuses on developing lifestyle behavior change interventions to improve the physical health and quality of life of cancer survivors. Her primary research interests include physical activity and the interface between aging and cancer, including interventions that utilize a whole-of-day approach to physical activity. This approach focuses on increasing light-intensity activity throughout the day, while reducing and disrupting sedentary activity. Her research includes the development of home- and technology-based interventions to reach the underserved and understudied survivor populations, especially older individuals from racial-ethnic minorities and rural dwellers, who may be unable to travel to clinical research centers to participate in research studies.

She has received a Career Development Award (K07) from the National Cancer Institute (2018-2023) and completed a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (R25) with the National Cancer Institute Cancer Prevention and Control Training Program (2011-2013).

Use of AFIX-based Strategies for HPV Vaccination in Florida

October 8, 2018 Klein Buendel

Dr. Barbara Walkosz, a Senior Scientist at Klein Buendel (KB), is one of several authors on a recent publication reporting on Florida pediatricians’ use of AFIX-based strategies for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination of adolescents and young adults. The report is published in the journal Preventive Medicine. Research collaborators (coauthors) are from the Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, the University of South Florida College of Medicine, Pediatric Partners, the Indiana University School of Medicine, and the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health.

HPV vaccination is recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to significantly reduce the incidence of cervical, vaginal, oral, and other cancers caused by the sexually transmitted virus. A series of vaccinations are recommended for adolescents and young adults, preferably before the onset of sexual activity (9-26 years of age).

However, rates of HPV vaccination in Florida and the U.S. are disappointingly low – less than 50% for girls and less than 40% for boys. In an effort to increase HPV vaccination of pediatric patients, the CDC created and implements the AFIX quality improvement program with healthcare providers. AFIX stands for Assessment, Feedback, Incentives, and the exchange of information – the four key strategies of the program which is delivered to clinics by local health departments.

The Preventive Medicine paper reports on the results of a cross-sectional survey of a representative sample of 770 pediatric and family medicine physicians in Florida to assess the use of the AFIX strategies. Less than half of the physicians surveyed reported implementing any AFIX strategies, leaving room for program engagement, uptake, and improvement.

Uptake of MC1R Testing for Melanoma Risk

July 10, 2018 Klein Buendel

The use of personalized medicine or tailoring medicine based on sequencing and analyzing an individual’s DNA, is drastically changing cancer research and treatment, risk assessment and clinical practices¹, and skin cancer is one area being affected by this research.² Currently, melanoma in U.S. Hispanic populations is on the rise and despite melanoma being more common in Caucasians than Hispanics, a melanoma diagnosis is more likely to be fatal for Hispanics.³

In a study recently published in JAMA Dermatology, several researchers (lead author Dr. Jennifer Hay) including Dr. David Buller from Klein Buendel, examined interest and uptake, as well as demographic and skin cancer risk factor covariates of interest and uptake, of the melanocortin-1 receptor gene (MC1R) saliva test among 499 adult participants recruited from diverse clinics in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Forty-four percent (44%) of participants were non-Hispanic white, 48% were Hispanic, and all were registered clinic patients for longer than six months, were 18-years of age or older, and spoke English or Spanish fluently. A study website log-in was given to participants to give them the option to log on and read three educational modules presenting the rationale and pros and cons of MC1R testing.

Results showed that almost 50% (n=232) of participants logged on to the website and that non-Hispanic whites and those with higher education were more likely to do so. Furthermore, participants with a history of sunburn and with at least one first-degree relative were also more likely to log on to the website. Of those who logged on, almost 90% (n=204) decided to request testing and a little over 80% (n=167) of those who requested testing returned the kit. Non-Hispanic whites and older participants had a higher rate of returning the kit.

Authors cite the large, diverse sample and the behavioral outcomes versus self-reported outcomes as strengths of the study while citing the single location and use of one primary care health system for recruitment as a limitation on generalizability. Lastly, authors conclude by calling for future research in socioeconomic and demographic discrepancies in interest and uptake of genetic testing in order to ensure ease of availability of genetic information seeking in the general population.

References

Orchard C. Genomic medicine in the real world: “hope” and “hype”. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Web site. Available at: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/ecpe/genomic-medicine-in-the-real-world-hope-and-hype/. Published June 1, 2015. Accessed June 20, 2018.
Genetics of skin cancer (PDQ) – health professional version: genetic testing. National Cancer Institute Web site. Available at: https://www.cancer.gov/types/skin/hp/skin-genetics-pdq#link/_393_toc. Updated June 14, 2018. Accessed June 20, 2018.
Perez MI. Hispanics get skin cancer, too. Skin Cancer Foundation Web site. Available at: https://www.skincancer.org/prevention/are-you-at-risk/hispanic. Published May 25, 2016. Accessed June 20, 2018.

Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Sun Safety

June 27, 2018 Klein Buendel

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, with more than 5 million new cases diagnosed per year.¹ As part of an effort to reduce incidence and mortality from skin cancer, the National Academy of Sciences hosted 19 experts from a variety of healthcare fields (including dermatology, behavioral medicine, public health, adolescent medicine, clinical health psychology, anthropology, and kinesiology). The experts, including Klein Buendel’s Director of Research, Dr. David Buller, met for two days in December 2016 to identify emerging themes in skin cancer prevention and control.

The report of this interdisciplinary collaboration and its five main culminating themes were published in JAMA Dermatology, a monthly peer-reviewed medical journal published by the American Medical Association.

The Emerging Themes for Skin Cancer Prevention and Control

Expanding the definition of risk in order to better tailor sun safety programs, create guidelines that acknowledge the beneficial effects of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure and develop strategies that involve those from diverse backgrounds (e.g. lower socioeconomic status, those with darker skin).
Intertwining sun protection strategies and messages with other health-related strategies and messages, such as physical activity recommendations, in order to prevent increasing a person’s risk for one disease despite decreasing it for another.
Tailoring sun safety messages using multiple components (e.g. place, weather, personal values, individual risk factors and motivations) to better persuade individual behavior change through novel channels such as smartphones and social media platforms.
Recognizing excessive tanning as an addiction in order to enable proper education for clinicians to give a diagnosis and create more effective treatments, including the possibility for pharmacological treatments.
Scaling up evidence-based interventions to increase the impact and achieve population-level skin cancer prevention through identifying the most appropriate dissemination and implementation methods that are also cost-effective, wide-reaching and lead to behavior change.

Authors, including Dr. Buller, conclude by stating that future expert meetings should focus on sun protection in the pediatric population and that future research to address these themes will need to be interdisciplinary to decrease the burden of skin cancer.

References

American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures 2018. Available at: https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/annual-cancer-facts-and-figures/2018/cancer-facts-and-figures-2018.pdf. 2018. Accessed June 11, 2018.

Costs of Sun Safety Policy Implementation in California Elementary Schools

May 3, 2018 Klein Buendel

Dr. Richard Meenan is presenting cost analysis data from the Sun Safe Schools project at the 4^th International Conference on UV and Skin Cancer Prevention in Toronto, Canada May 1-4, 2018. His presentation focuses on the estimated costs of delivering a sun protection policy intervention to public elementary schools in California.

Implementation of sun safety practices is an important element of efforts by elementary schools to prevent skin cancer among their students. However, cost can significantly impede such implementation. The Sun Safe Schools (SSS) trial provided technical assistance to 118 California public elementary schools interested in implementing sun safety practices consistent with district policy. Intervention components were primarily an initial intervention meeting with school administrators, and follow-up email and telephone communications. Schools chose from 47 possible practices to implement.

Using a micro-costing approach, intervention delivery costs to the intervening organization were determined from the project tracking database supplemented by external sources. Labor and non-labor practice costs incurred by schools were estimated using a project template, which three authors reviewed for reasonableness. The 47 practice codes were collapsed into ten categories, such as outdoor shade and parent outreach. The 58 intervention schools implemented a total of 128 practices. Thirty-seven schools implemented at least one practice. Most common practices were parent outreach, education of students, and teacher training. Data on the average cost of participating in the school-based sun safety intervention will be presented at the conference.

In summary, costs to schools may hinder action on implementation, so cost control strategies should be considered when designing school-based sun safety interventions. Next steps are to determine: (1) the incremental implementation cost of the SSS intervention and (2) the incremental cost of the schools’ sun safety education and policy adoption actions induced by SSS.

This research was supported by a grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development (R01HD074416; Dr. Kim Reynolds, Claremont Graduate University, Principal Investigator). Collaborators include Kim Massie from Claremont Graduate University in California; Dr. David Buller, Julia Berteletti, and Mary Buller from Klein Buendel; Dr. Richard Meenan from the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research in Portland, Oregon; and Dr. Jeff Ashley from Sun Safety for Kids in Los Angeles, California.

Klein Buendel is one of the North American hosts of the UV 2018 conference. The conference was organized by a joint planning committee of skin cancer prevention experts in Canada and the United States from Ryerson University in Toronto, the Canadian Dermatology Association in Ottawa, and Klein Buendel in Denver.

KB and Canada Host World’s Sun Safety Experts

April 16, 2018 Klein Buendel

How can sun safety messages convince travelers to seek shade and cover up in the sun on vacation? How can the built environment help increase sun safety by maximizing access to shady areas? How can the use of Big Data drive people to be more “sun smart”?

These and many other issues will be front and center at the 4^th International Conference on UV and Skin Cancer Prevention at Ryerson University in Toronto, May 1-4. Held in different countries around the world – the 2015 event was in Sydney, Australia – the International Conference on UV and Skin Cancer Prevention highlights the best in public health and community-based approaches to educating the public about the importance of UV protection.

“This fourth conference really aims to disrupt current ways of thinking in the field of skin cancer prevention by sparking new ideas, proposing new intersections between disciplines, and fostering new connections and collaborations,” said Ms. Mary Buller, conference organizer and Owner and President of Klein Buendel, a Golden, Colorado-based health communication research company whose investigators have been conducting skin cancer prevention research since the early 1990s.

While preventing skin cancer is the galvanizing theme of the conference, sessions cover topics ranging from urban planning, architectural design, public health and radiation science. The common goal is to increase public awareness – and public action – on the need for increasing shade and maximizing sun protection, not just during leisure pursuits, but also in the workplace.

“The sun is a workplace hazard that can cause skin cancer, heat stress and eye damage, yet these conditions are preventable with an increase in awareness,” said Dr. Thomas Tenkate, conference organizer and Director of the School of Occupational and Public Health at Ryerson University. …

Behavioral Counseling Recommendations for Skin Cancer Prevention

March 26, 2018 Klein Buendel

In the March 20, 2018 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) published a recommendation statement on behavioral counseling to prevent skin cancer.

The publication updated the 2012 USPSTF recommendation on behavioral counseling for the prevention of skin cancer.

The USPSTF determined that behavioral counseling interventions are of moderate benefit in increasing sun protection behaviors in children, adolescents, and young adults with fair skin types (aged 6 months to 24 years old). They found adequate evidence that behavioral counseling interventions result in a small increase in sun protection behaviors in adults older than 24 years with fair skin types.

The USPSTF, however, found inadequate evidence on the benefits and harms of counseling adults about skin self-examination to prevent skin cancer. This conclusion was based on the lack of evidence that skin self-examination is beneficial.

Two editorials – one led by Dr. June Robinson from the Department of Dermatology at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago and the other led by Dr. David Buller, Director of Research at Klein Buendel – were also published along with the Task Force recommendations.

The editorial by Robinson and Jablonski points out that while physicians are trusted sources of health information, people at risk for skin cancer or with a family history of skin cancer may also find family members to be useful networks for information on prevention and self-examination.

The editorial by Buller, Heckman, and Manne expresses disappointment in the Task Force not recommending skin self-examination and points out that some ongoing studies to determine effectiveness of skin self-examination may find that it is effective.

Both editorials describe the Task Force’s definition of risk as “fair skin types” as narrow. They believe that many other people are at risk for skin cancer and could benefit from sun protection education and counseling. Some groups mentioned in the editorials include people who sunburn but are not considered fair-skinned, people who use indoor tanning equipment, children and adolescents, Hispanics, and people who are physically active outdoors. According to the authors, it is important not to disenfranchise these groups within the diverse U.S. population.

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