Sun Safety Policies in Canadian Elementary Schools: A Comprehensive Scoping Review and Jurisdictional Scan of Canadian Provincial Government Policies.
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BACKGROUND: Despite the critical importance of sun protection in childhood for preventing skin cancer, significant gaps exist between provincial health guidelines and education-specific policies regarding sun safety in Canadian elementary schools. OBJECTIVE: To systematically examine the current landscape of sun safety policies and interventions in Canadian elementary education settings and identify gaps between public health recommendations and educational policy implementation. METHODS: We conducted a scoping review of literature published between 2005 and 2025 using 7 databases (Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL Plus, Scopus, Proquest Education Database, ERIC, and CBCA:Social Sciences) and performed a jurisdictional scan of sun safety policies across 9 Canadian cities, examining provincial, school board, and individual school websites. RESULTS: This scoping review identified limited research on sun safety interventions in Canadian elementary schools, with most studies demonstrating effectiveness of educational programs but highlighting implementation challenges. The jurisdictional scan revealed significant disparities in policy accessibility and clarity across provinces. Public health websites typically provided more comprehensive information, while school-level policies were largely absent or difficult to locate. CONCLUSION: A substantial disconnect exists between provincial health guidelines and education system policies regarding sun safety. Comprehensive, standardized approaches to sun safety policy development and implementation are urgently needed across Canadian elementary schools.