Young park users’ attitudes and behaviour to sun protection

Abstract

The increase in skin cancer prevalence globally has prompted a range of health promotion sun safety initiatives. An area where evidence has been lacking is on the long-term impact of some of these initiatives on the attitudes and sun protection behaviour of young adults and of the sun protection measures used by people using city parks. This article disseminates a study that examined the knowledge, attitude and behaviour of 18- to 28-year-old Caucasian park users. An interview questionnaire was used with behaviour validation incorporated to corroborate the results and reduce recall bias. A cross comparison of answers and placement into pre-coded responses were made at regular intervals to ensure consistency of data collection. Knowledge of risks associated with sun exposure and knowledge of sun protection methods was high. The most common sources of knowledge on skin cancer prevention were parents and family, followed by television, then magazines and newspapers. Surprisingly, the citing of school sun safety health promotion initiatives as a source of knowledge was low. The vast majority of females and males felt that a suntan had aesthetic qualities and made them look more attractive and healthy. Only a small number of the participants' sun protection behaviour in the park corresponded with their reported normal sun protection behaviour. Males in this study use sunscreen less than females. Females also used sunscreen with a higher sun protection factor. Seeking a tan is intentional behaviour undertaken by the majority of the participants, although females were more likely to seek a tan in comparison to males. The majority of participants had experienced sunburn in the summer period with some reporting severe sunburn. Recommendations are made for a gender specific health promotion approach, which targets familial education with a supportive environment in the school or public domain.

Scottish adolescents’ sun-related behaviours, tanning attitudes and associations with skin cancer awareness: a cross-sectional study

“…For example, a study in New Zealand found that 42% of females and 33% of males agreed that ‘most of their friends think a suntan is a good thing’,19 and the majority (66%) of adolescents in an Australian study perceived friends to have protanning attitudes 28. Moreover, there is evidence from a Danish study that sunburn risk increases among adolescents (aged 13–17 years) whose parents hold positive attitudes towards tanning,29 and the highest ranking source of sun protection information among young park-goers in London (aged 18–28 years) was ‘parents and family’ 30. Further research is therefore required to assess peer and family influences on Scottish adolescents’ tanning attitudes in order to determine the potential of peer-group and family-based interventions to reduce risky sun-related behaviours.…”

“…Research is required to assess how skin cancer knowledge, sun-related behaviour and tanning attitudes—and the influence of peers and family on knowledge, behaviour and attitudes—change as adolescents’ age. Testing behaviour change techniques32 which show promise such as those based on dissonance33 34 to address the known discordance between sun protection intention and practice30 35 would also be useful. This research is vital because previous interventions to change sun-safe knowledge and practice have been disappointing36 and it is not known which educational techniques are most effective 37.…”

Tanning and Teens: Is Indoor Exposure the Tip of the Iceberg?

“…The belief that people look better with a tan, and reductions in the use of sunscreen, increase dramatically between ages 11 and 14, particularly among girls (16). Tanning may be more the norm than the exception among young people in outdoor settings; one study showed that 60% to 80% of teen beach and park users report that they intentionally tan outdoors (17, 18). Only half of teens use sunscreen, and only a third do so routinely (19–23), with 83% of teens reporting sunburn in the most recent summer (21).…”

Negative appearance evaluation is associated with skin cancer risk behaviors among American men and women.

“…Indeed, Thompson et al (2012) concluded that one of the strongest correlates of intentional UV exposure is a positive attitude to a suntanned appearance. As a tanned appearance may lead some individuals to perceive themselves as leaner and more attractive (Hedges & Scriven, 2010; Thompson et al, 2012), it may be expected that tanned individuals would evaluate their appearance positively and those who view their skin as pale may be motivated to engage in tanning to move closer to the tanned ideal.…”