Parents' Knowledge, Attitudes and Beliefs Regarding Sun Protection in Children: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

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‘Try to make good hay in the shade – it won't work!’ A qualitative interview study on the perspectives of Bavarian farmers regarding primary prevention of skin cancer

“…It also sets the scene for potential further qualitative studies aiming to develop prevention strategies to reduce the high risk of KC among farmers. Studies looking at factors associated with the use of primary prevention of KC have shown that the decision for or against sun protection represents a complex behaviour determined by a range of different factors . Here we have shown that knowledge and perception of KC and UVR, individually perceived barriers to using sun protection, individual experiences with sunburn and skin cancer, as well as farm life‐specific circumstances, are factors in the decision to apply or not to apply sun‐protection measures.…”

“…Negative experiences such as having a family member or friend with skin cancer or personally having suffered from severe sunburns seems to have strongly influenced the perceived need of sun protection. Farmers without respective experiences and typically underestimating the need for sun protection in this study therefore might be led by ‘unrealistic optimism’, as described in previous studies . This may point to the importance of narrative storytelling to convey information on the prevention of KC in farmers …”

“…Similarly to previous findings in other outdoor professions, the decision not to engage in primary prevention can at least partly be attributed to a lack of knowledge about KC and UVR. For example, an Australian qualitative study assessing parents’ knowledge, attitudes and beliefs regarding sun protection in their children found that detailed knowledge of the risks of sun exposure outweighed all other influencing factors, whereas renal transplant recipients ‘did not perceive the threat of skin cancer as an important health problem’, even though they were aware of their increased risk of KC . Therefore, beyond basic strategies to improve knowledge, strategies to increase self‐efficacy could be the key to preventing KC in farmers.…”

“…Qualitative methods can help to generate an in‐depth understanding of the beliefs, attitudes and perception of farmers influencing this poor sun‐protective behaviour . Several publications are available assessing the perspectives of population groups such as university students, parents of small children, young Australians, holidaymakers or renal transplant recipients on sun‐protection behaviour; however, to the best of our knowledge, qualitative studies on sun‐protection habits in farmers are not yet available. These are desperately required if we want to understand farmers’ current behaviour and associated difficulties, and to try to identify opportunities for the development of appropriate prevention strategies …”

Unintended sunburn after sunscreen application: An exploratory study of sun protection

“…Interviews averaged 15 minutes in length with a range of 9 to 31 minutes, and were conducted by a research assistant (MO). Interviews followed a semi‐structured format, allowing the interviewer to ensure key questions and issues were covered while also having flexibility to discuss topics introduced by participants . All interviews were audio recorded and professionally transcribed verbatim by an external source.…”