The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the dissemination of the Go Sun Smart Georgia (GSSG) program with Georgia worksites and learn whether the intervention changes the employees' sun protection behavior in outdoor workers in Southwest Georgia. The primary aim is to assess program effectiveness by comparing employee sun protection practices between the employers assigned to the GSSG intervention and the employers assigned to the wait-list control group (delayed intervention). The hypothesis that will be tested is that compared to the delayed intervention group, employees at intervention worksites will practice more sun protection during the post-test. Worksites will be asked to complete internal coach training and participate in technical assistance around sun safety. Study participants will fill out surveys and participate in interviews
This project builds on the original Go Sun Smart at Work (GSSW) program-a sun safety educational program delivered to worksite leaders, managers, and workers-that was previously shown to be effective for employers adopting sun safety policies and implementing sun safety education and actions, and improved employees' sun protection behavior (e.g., use of protective clothing). To successfully implement and scale up GSSW with outdoor workers in Southwest Georgia-predominantly African American and Hispanic-this intervention must be systematically adapted to ensure program fit to the population and setting while maintaining core program elements. A well-adapted and tailored occupational sun safety program with high dissemination potential will greatly impact this overlooked employee population, reduce health care costs, improve quality of life, and save lives. The adaptation process took place in 2022-2024, and the adapted Go Sun Smart Georgia (GSSG) program will be evaluated in 2024. Go Sun Smart Georgia (GSSG) is an educational, train-the-trainer, and technical assistance program for Georgia worksites that employ outdoor workers. It will be implemented with worksites assigned to the intervention group in May-Aug 2024 and with worksites assigned to the comparison (delayed intervention) group in Aug - Dec. 2024. The study team will provide worksites with training for internal worksite coaches (the coach(es) will be employee(s) chosen by the worksite to serve as a champion for the program, not part of the study staff and paid by the worksite), training for other internal educators, technical assistance for conducting the program, and employee educational sessions, as needed.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
312
Go Sun Smart Georgia (GSSG) is an educational, train-the-trainer, and technical assistance program for Georgia worksites that employ outdoor workers. GSSG is delivered through personal contacts with senior worksite managers, employee training, and distribution of educational materials. In meetings with managers, trained coaches work to increase perceived need for workplace sun safety, cite advice from national authorities (e.g., CDC and NIOSH), plan for policy implementation, alter policies/education and/or workplace to improve fit, clarify changes to other managers/ employees, and bundle sun safety with worksite safety. The intervention period will last 12-16 weeks in each of the groups.
Rollins School of Public Health
Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Change in outdoor worker sun safety behaviors
Will be captured through outdoor worker survey (posttest). To evaluate the impact of GSSG on sun safety behaviors (primary outcome), employees will report a) frequency of sun protection at work (i.e., sunscreen with SPF 30+, long-sleeved shirts, long pants, hat with wide-brim, sunglasses, shade use, limit midday sun exposure, and have sunscreen, hat and eye protection at all times \[1=never, 5=always\]) and b) sunburn in past 3 months on the job (yes/no; number). Surveys will include questions about amount of times respondent works outdoors; the respondent's sun and heat protection behaviors; perceptions of their sun exposure risk and history of sunburn; presence and perception of workplace policies, procedures, standards, resources, and training for sun safety and heat at the organization; experience with the Go Sun Smart Georgia program; and respondent demographics.
Time frame: 16 weeks
Change in worksite policy adoption
Will be captured through manager survey, outdoor worker survey
Time frame: Baseline, After 16 weeks
Worksite sun safety education
Will be captured through manager survey, outdoor worker survey
Time frame: Baseline, After 16 weeks
Change in worksite sun safety actions
Will be captured through manager survey
Time frame: Baseline, After 16 weeks
Appropriateness of program
Will be captured through manager survey, outdoor worker survey, semi-structured interviews
Time frame: At 16 weeks
Feasibility of program
Will be captured through manager survey, outdoor worker survey, semi-structured interviews
Time frame: At 16 weeks
Acceptability of program
Will be captured through manager survey, outdoor worker survey, semi-structured interviews
Time frame: At 16 weeks
Fidelity of implementation
Will be captured through program logs.
Time frame: 16 weeks
Representativeness of participants
Will be captured through outdoor worker survey
Time frame: At 16 weeks
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.