Perinatal depression and sun safety behaviors: Results of a pilot intervention trial

<b><i>Objective:</i></b> To examine changes in perinatal sun safety behavior and co-occurring minor depression in a pilot intervention trial. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Pregnant women (<i>N</i> = 58) in a sun safety program completed baseline and depression symptom surveys during their second or third trimesters. They then underwent two 30-min sun safety counseling sessions. Follow-up surveys were completed one- and two-months postpartum. Differences in pre- and postpartum sun safety and depression were evaluated. <b><i>Results:</i></b> At baseline, participants' mean sun safety score was 23.2/32 (SD = 4.4): 34.5 % were identified as likely depressed and had lower sun safety (<i>t</i> = 1.8, df = 56, <i>p</i> < .05). The mean sun safety score rose to 26.5 at the first follow-up (<i>t</i> = 5.8, df = 57, <i>p</i> < .001) and 26.9 (<i>t</i> = 5.7, df = 57, p < .001) at the second. Participants who were likely depressed at baseline experienced less improvement in sun safety at the first and second follow-ups (<i>t</i> = 3.1, df = 19, <i>p</i> < .01, Cohen's d = 4.3; <i>t</i> = 2.8, df = 19, p < .01, Cohen's d = 4.1, respectively) than those not depressed (<i>t</i> = 4.9, df = 37, <i>p</i> < .001, Cohen's d = 4.3; <i>t</i> = 5.0, df = 37, p < .001, Cohen's d = 5.4, respectively). In an income-adjusted regression model of sun safety at the second follow-up, baseline sun safety remained associated (B = 0.5, SE B = 0.1, <i>p</i> = .001) but not depression (B = -0.4, SE B = 0.2, <i>p</i> = .09). <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> The counseling program increased sun safety adherence, regardless of depression risk.