Skin cancer prevention: behaviour and motives of Dutch adolescents

Abstract

Skin cancer incidence is rising in the Netherlands and prevention programmes are needed. We analysed sun protection behaviours and beliefs in 500 adolescents aged 15-20 years using the Integrated Model for Change. The results show that adolescents with the fairest skin type exposed themselves significantly less to the sun, but had more burns than groups with a darker skin type. Sunscreen was the most commonly used method by adolescents to protect themselves and 77% of adolescents frequently used this strategy. Sunscreen use was also higher in females than in males. Wearing protective clothing (34%) and seeking shade between 1200 and 1500 h (26%) were less popular and used by adolescents in our study. Frequent use of sunscreen was most strongly predicted by positive intentions to use sunscreen, parental support, a positive attitude towards using sunscreen, support of friends and perceiving skin cancer risks. Wearing protective clothing was predicted most strongly by parental support, having a positive attitude towards wearing protective clothing, seeking shade, support of friends, high self-efficacy levels, low exposure to the sun and being male. Seeking shade was most strongly predicted by a positive attitude towards seeking shade, support of friends, using protective clothing, high self-efficacy, parental support, a negative attitude towards tanning, and perceiving skin cancer risks. Implications for Dutch skin cancer prevention programmes are that the efficacy and advantages of all protective methods need to be outlined more clearly in health education programmes on skin cancer prevention.

Motives of Belgian Adolescents for Using Sunscreen: The Role of Action Plans

“…Consequently, attitude toward sunscreen use, attending a higher-level school, positive social influences, sun exposure, wearing protective clothing, and seeking shade also made small contributions. These findings support earlier findings of similar models, showing that the so-called end constructs do mediate much but not all variance of factors preceding intentions (31,48).…”

“…The I-Change model explained sunscreen use among Belgian adolescents satisfactorily, with an explained variance of 57.0%, a finding that is comparable with earlier research conducted in the Netherlands (48). As hypothesized, the use of action plans was the strongest predictor of sunscreen use, followed by intention.…”

“…[48][49][50]. The I-Change model builds on an earlier model (called the Attitude -Social Influence-Self-efficacy model; refs.…”

Comportamento relativo à exposição e proteção solar na população de 15 anos ou mais de 15 capitais brasileiras e Distrito Federal, 2002-2003

“…Os dados de proteção solar, brutos e ajustados, segundo gênero, coincidem com os resultados encontrados em outros estudos internacionais realizados 8,10,32,33 , nos quais se verificou que o uso de filtro solar foi mais comum entre mulheres, enquanto o uso de chapéus predominou entre homens. A literatura é farta em trabalhos que revelam que as mulheres, de uma maneira geral, cuidam de sua saúde numa freqüência maior do que os homens.…”

Assessing a Sun Protection Program Aimed at Greek Elementary School Students for Malign Melanoma Prevention

“…Naturally, geographical and cultural/ religious characteristics are important factors in their own right, but modern societies include immigrants and in general people from other national/religious backgrounds, e.g. the way Muslim females, or several Jewish persons usually dress by covering most of their body, is a sun protection measure by itself (Tamir et al, 2002;de Vries et al, 2005).…”