Use of Shade in U.S. and Australian City Parks

NCT02971709 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: CA1403670265
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 144
• Locations: 2 countries
• Sites: 2

Brief Summary

Use of shade when outdoors is recommended by health authorities worldwide to reduce overall exposure to ultraviolet radiation. However, expensive physical environment changes are often required to provide shade and may be effective only when health education has created a social environment that motivate shade use. A multi-national research team will explore the use of built shade in passive recreation areas within public parks and compare use of built shade between the United States and Australia. The specific aims of the project are to: a) introduce built shade structures (i.e., shade sails) in public parks in Denver and Melbourne; b) compare the use of passive recreation areas with and without built shade; c) compare the change in use of the passive recreation areas in Denver and Melbourne after introduction of built shade, and d) examine the relationship among social environment and physical features of the environment and built shade.

Conditions

Skin Cancer

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Observed Use of Passive Recreation Area by Adults

  Any use of each passive recreation, assessed by observing each passive recreation areas for 30 minutes on four weekend days between 11 am and 3 pm when forecast high temperatures were had forecast high temperature were between 72°F/22°C and 95°F/35°C over a 20-week period during two summers (pretest summer, posttest summer) by trained research assistants. Observations were suspended during rain.

  One-year

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Solar Ultraviolet Radiation Level

  One-year

Study Arms (2)

Shade Sail

EXPERIMENTAL

Shade sails were constructed over passive recreation areas in public parks between pretest and posttest. Shade sails maximized available shade in the passive recreation areas from 11 am to 3 pm in the summer.

Behavioral: Shade Sail

Unshaded Control

NO INTERVENTION

Passive recreation areas in public parks that remained unshaded at pretest and posttest.

Interventions

Shade Sail BEHAVIORAL

Shade sails had powder-coated or gout galvanized steel poles and a lighter colored shade cloth to transmit visual light. The shade cloth met Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) ratings to reduce UV under the shade cloth by 94%. The final shade sail designs and sizes were determined with input from parks department staff and complied with all local engineering, building, and planning codes. Shade sails exceeded the minimum safety requirements for strength (for wind and snow load), resistance to light degradation, and UV transmission. The design minimized climbing access points and hazards to adjacent activities.

Shade Sail

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Passive recreation areas had to be located in public parks in Denver, Colorado USA or Melbourne, Victoria Australia metropolitan area.
• Parks had to contain at least two unshaded PRAs and be administered by the study municipalities,
• Passive recreation areas had to meet the definition of a passive recreation area, i.e., areas for sitting/standing while socializing, preparing/eating a meal, watching or coaching sports, watching a concert, taking a class, or waiting, or areas where people stroll (walk slowly) for sightseeing while observing outdoor displays (e.g., festivals, gardens, zoo exhibits).
• Passive recreation areas had to be in full sun (i.e. no shade) at pretest.
• Passive recreation areas had to contain a space where a shade sail could be constructed, i.e., free from underground or above ground obstructions, relatively level, and large enough to accommodate the shade sail.
• Passive recreation areas had to be approved by parks department staff for shade sail construction.
• Adults had to appear to be 18 years of age or older.
• Adults had to be in the public parks.

You may not qualify if:

• Passive recreation areas where major construction/ redevelopment of the parks was planned within the study period.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Klein Buendel, Inc.: lead
• Cancer Council Victoria: collaborator

Study Sites (2)

Klein Buendel, Inc.

Golden, Colorado, 80403, United States

Location

Cancer Council Victoria

Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Buller DB, English DR, Buller MK, Simmons J, Chamberlain JA, Wakefield M, Dobbinson S. Shade Sails and Passive Recreation in Public Parks of Melbourne and Denver: A Randomized Intervention. Am J Public Health. 2017 Dec;107(12):1869-1875. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2017.304071. Epub 2017 Oct 19.

  PMID: 29048958 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Skin Neoplasms

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Neoplasms by Site; Neoplasms; Skin Diseases; Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases

Study Officials

• David Buller, PhD

  Klein Buendel, Inc.

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: INDUSTRY
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 21, 2016
• First Posted: November 23, 2016
• Study Start: July 1, 2010
• Primary Completion: May 31, 2017
• Study Completion: May 31, 2017
• Last Updated: July 25, 2017

Record last verified: 2017-07

Locations

US (1); AU (1)