Background:The identification of the factors related to adoption of skin cancer preventive behaviors in adolescents plays a significant role in the appropriate design and implementation of relevant educational approaches. Objectives:The aim of present study was toinvestigate the factors associated with skin cancer preventive behaviors in the male high school students of Isfahan, using the protection motivation theory (PMT). Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 311 male high school students of Isfahan in 2018. A reliable questionnaire was used for data collection, whose validity and reliability had been confirmed before. The data were analyzed, using the SPSS software (version 20), Pearson's correlation coefficient, multiple linear regression, one-way ANOVA, independent t test, and Spearman's correlation coefficient. Results: Pearson's correlation coefficient indicated that the score of skin cancer preventive behaviors was inversely associated with response cost score (P < 0.001), while it was directly related to perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, self-efficacy, response efficacy, fear, and protection motivation (P < 0.001). The multiple linear regression model showed that among the constructs of the PMT, the scores for self-efficacy, response cost, and perceived susceptibility were significant predictors of skin cancer preventive behaviors, respectively, in order of importance. Conclusions: This study showed that the PMT constructs were associated with the skin cancer preventive behaviors, which could be promoted by designing and implementing educational studies based on the constructs.
Adolescents are at high risk of skin cancer. Since protecting the skin from the sun's ultraviolet rays is an important way to prevent this disease, the present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching skin cancer prevention behaviors using the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) in male students in Isfahan. An intervention study examined change in attitudes and behaviors among 104, 13-year-old male students from two schools in Isfahan, Iran. The schools were randomized to either receive or not receive a 5-session skin cancer prevention curriculum based in PMT theory. Data were collected using a validated questionnaire that included demographic, PMT, and behavior construct variables. Questionnaires were completed by both groups before and 2 months after the intervention. Data were analyzed using SPSS 20, chi-square test, Mann-Whitney test, paired t-test, and McNemar's test. The results indicated that the mean scores of all constructs of PMT increased in the intervention group compared to the baseline assessment, except for the response cost (P < 0.001). The mean score of students' skin cancer preventive behaviors was 39.6 (21.4) in the intervention group, and it increased to 74.7 (23.5) after educational intervention, while the control group did not exhibit any significant behavior change. The intervention certainly shows the potential for being effective over the short-term. Therefore, it is recommended that PMT-based educational interventions be designed to teach and promote social health, particularly at an early age.
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