Real time sun protection app,

Washington: A smartphone app that
provides personalised, real-time sun
protection advice can improve some
sun protection behaviour, according
to a new study.

The app provides sun-protection
advice based on UV Index forecasts
and personal information from the
users, as well as alerts to apply or
reapply sunscreen.
The Solar Cell app was developed by
Klein Buendel, Colorado, under a
contract with the National Cancer
Institute in the US.

David B Buller, of Klein Buendel and
coauthors conducted a randomised
clinical trial in 2012 which enrolled
604 participants and of the 305
individuals in the treatment group
232 people downloaded the app but
only 125 individuals (41 per cent)
used it.
Complete data was available on 454
individuals (222 in the treatment
group and 232 in a control group).
Participants in the treatment group
reported spending more time in the
shade (average days staying in the
shade, 41 per cent vs 33.7 per cent)
but less sunscreen use (average
days, 28.6 per cent vs 34.5 per cent)
than those in the control group.
There was no significant difference
in the number of sunburns in the
past three months between the
groups.

Users of the mobile app reported
spending less time in the sun and
more use of all sun protection
behaviours such as sunscreen,
protective clothing and shade
combined.
"The Solar Cell mobile app seemed to
promote sun protection practices,
especially when it was used.
Specifically, it increased use of
shade. Shade can substantially
reduce exposure to solar UV
radiation (UV-R), but it needs to be
available for it to be used," the
authors said.

A second randomised trial on the
use of the app showed some
improvement and was associated
with greater sun protection.
The authors found that participants
in the group that received the app
used wide-brimmed hats more at the
seven-week follow-up than control
participants who did not receive the
app (23.8 per cent vs 17.4 per cent).
Women who used the app also
reported more use of all sun
protection (such as sunscreen,
protective clothing and shade)
combined than men (46.4 per cent
vs 43.3 per cent) but men and older
participants reported less use of
sunscreen (32.7 per cent vs 35.5 per
cent) and hats (15.6 per cent vs 17.9
per cent).

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