State SUNucate Laws, the Popularity of Google Searches for Terms Related to Sun Protection, and Youth Sunscreen Use
-
Published:2023-08
Issue:4
Volume:10
Page:1324-1332
-
ISSN:2326-4403
-
Container-title:Health Behavior and Policy Review
-
language:
-
Short-container-title:Health Behav Policy Rev
Author:
Carpenter Christopher, ,Marcus Michelle,Chren Mary-Margaret,Churchill Brandyn
Abstract
Objective: Our objective was to determine whether state SUNucate laws – which have been adopted by 27 states and require schools to permit youths to carry and apply sunscreen on school grounds – were associated with changes in Google Search behavior for words and phrases related to sun protection as well as self-reported sunscreen use by youths. Methods: This was an observational study examining: (1) Google Trends search popularity for terms such as "sunscreen" and "SPF" by state, month, and year for 2004-2022; and (2) self-reported sunscreen use by high school youth in the national Youth Risk Behavior Survey during 2009-2019. Results: State SUNucate laws were associated with increased Google search popularity of terms related to sun protection. Google search popularity for ‘sunscreen’ increased by 27.2% (95% CI 12.67% to 41.7%; p < .001). State SUNucate laws were also associated with increased sunscreen use among high school youths by 8.3% (95% CI 0.014% to 15.0%; p < .05). Conclusion: State SUNucate laws may be effective tools for increasing population search behavior for sun protection terms and youth sunscreen use.
Publisher
Paris Scholar Publishing
Subject
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health,Health Policy,Health (social science)