An intervention to discourage Australian mothers from unnecessarily exposing their babies to the sun for therapeutic reasons

Harrison, Simone, Nowak, Madeleine, Devine, Susan, Saunders, Vicki, Smith, Annika, and Buttner, Petra (2013) An intervention to discourage Australian mothers from unnecessarily exposing their babies to the sun for therapeutic reasons. Journal of Tropical Pediatrics, 59 (5). pp. 403-406.

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Abstract

Parents play a key role in children's sun-protective behaviour, with good sun-protective habits established early tending to be sustained. We designed a maternity hospital-based educational intervention to reduce myths that could result in mothers intentionally sunning their babies. Interviews were conducted with two cross-sections of healthy post-partum inpatients in the maternity ward of a large regional public hospital. The first group (n = 106) was recruited before the commencement of educational in-services for maternity nursing staff; the second group (n = 203) was interviewed after the last staff in-service session. More pre-intervention than post-intervention women reported they would expose their baby to sunlight to: treat suspected jaundice (28.8% vs. 13.3%; p < 0.001) or help their baby's skin adapt to sunlight (10.5% vs. 2.5%; p = 0.003). Fewer post-intervention women indicated they would sun themselves to treat breastfeeding-associated sore/cracked nipples (7.6% vs. 2%; p = 0.026). This educational intervention should be used to educate parents, health professionals and students.

Item ID: 30147
Item Type: Article (Research - C1)
ISSN: 1465-3664
Keywords: infants, perceived therapeutic benefits, sun exposure, neonatal jaundice, nappy rash, post-partum women
Date Deposited: 13 Nov 2013 05:31
FoR Codes: 11 MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES > 1117 Public Health and Health Services > 111706 Epidemiology @ 34%
11 MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES > 1117 Public Health and Health Services > 111799 Public Health and Health Services not elsewhere classified @ 33%
11 MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES > 1117 Public Health and Health Services > 111716 Preventive Medicine @ 33%
SEO Codes: 92 HEALTH > 9204 Public Health (excl. Specific Population Health) > 920499 Public Health (excl. Specific Population Health) not elsewhere classified @ 50%
92 HEALTH > 9204 Public Health (excl. Specific Population Health) > 920412 Preventive Medicine @ 50%
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