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

Completed · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Skin Cancer

In brief

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.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT02971709

Run by

Klein Buendel, Inc.

People needed

144

Starts

2010-07-01

Expected to finish

2017-05-31

Last updated by the study team

2017-07-25

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

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.

Where it is running

• Klein Buendel, Inc. — Golden, Colorado, United States
• Cancer Council Victoria — Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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