Reach and recall of skin cancer prevention messages delivered by sporting event organizers among outdoor athletes

Outdoor athletes face elevated skin cancer (SC) risk from excessive ultraviolet exposure and poor sun protection practices. Event organizers represent an underutilized resource for SC prevention messaging. We sought to evaluate a multichannel SC prevention campaign (runner’s guides, runner’s bag, and social media) at nine sporting events, measuring channel recall and engagement. A cross-sectional study at trail running and cycling events (7,348 participants, Spain 2024) was performed. One event added dermatological skin screening and photoprotection workshop. Data sources: satisfaction survey (n=369) and Instagram metrics (n=10 SC posts). Overall channel recall was 93.2%, with the following ranking: runner’s guide (36.1%), runner’s bag (25.8%) and social media (15.8%). At the enhanced intervention event, skin checks led recall (38.5%). Instagram engagement ranged between 2.08% – 5.37%. Event organizers effectively deliver SC prevention messages through multichannel strategies, but changes in behavior and health outcomes must be studied in future interventions.