Improving Understanding About Tanning Behaviors in College Students: A Pilot Study |
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| Authors: | Corey Hannah Basch EdD MPH Grace Clarke Hillyer EdD MPH Charles E Basch PhD Alfred I Neugut MD PhD |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Public Health , William Paterson University , Wayne , New Jersey;2. Department of Epidemiology , Columbia University , New York , New York;3. Department of Health and Behavior Studies at Teachers College , Columbia University , New York , New York |
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| Abstract: | Abstract Objective: Melanoma is the second most common cancer diagnosed among 15- to 29-year-olds. This pilot study assessed behaviors, barriers, and beliefs relevant to sun exposure and protective behaviors. Participants: The sample comprised 153 undergraduate students at a large state university in western New York. Methods: Participants completed an online survey about sun safety habits, barriers to using sunblock, and beliefs about tanning and sun exposure. Results: Response rate was 90.8% (n = 139). Most students (87.8%) reportedly spent ≥ 3 hours per day outside in the summer, but only 17.3% reported always using sunblock during this time. Sixty percent reported recent indoor tanning and 41% reported more than 10 lifetime sunburns. The greatest barrier to using sunblock was forgetting (84.2%). Conclusions: Demographics coupled with inconsistent and low levels of sunblock use, high annual prevalence of indoor tanning, and multiple lifetime sunburns indicate that this sample is at high risk for skin cancer. |
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| Keywords: | skin cancer sunscreen tanning |
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