Sun-Care Product Advertising in Parenting Magazines: What Information Does It Provide About Sun Protection?

Abstract

This study analyzed the content of sun-care product advertisements in five major U.S. parenting magazines with high circulation: Family Circle, Parents, Family Fun, Parenting (Early Years), and Parenting (School Years). The study examined what information sun-care product advertisements tell parents about skin cancer prevention and about sunscreen use for themselves or for their children based on the Health Belief Model concepts of perceived benefits and perceived barriers. Results showed that the most commonly mentioned benefit of the product was that it blocks ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays. One-third of the ads promoted the product's effectiveness in overcoming four of the barriers that prevent people from using sunscreens: eye irritation, skin irritation, an unpleasant smell, and the need to reapply sunscreen too often or after physical activity. However, only a few of the ads provided information about the consequences of unprotected sun exposure or mentioned methods of sun protection or skin cancer prevention other than sunscreen use. We discuss the implications of these messages for parents' ability to understand correctly how to protect their children from damaging sun exposure.

A state of the science on influential factors related to sun protective behaviors to prevent skin cancer in adults

“…The Health Belief Model (HBM) is another theoretical framework that has been used in health and social science projects to enhance understanding of how individual personal beliefs influence health behaviors [34], [35]. The HBM has been useful in several studies that examined sun protection factors and skin cancer prevention [36], [37], [38], [39], [40]. Interdependence theory has been used to study the role of relationship factors in the performance of skin self-examination (SSE), benefits, barriers, and relationship-centered motivations [17].…”

Misinformation About Health: A Review of Health Communication and Misinformation Scholarship

“…Over the 10 years studied, discussion of risks increased, but representation of benefits did, as well. Furthermore, consequences of tanning are not adequately discussed in ads in parents’ magazines (Kang & Walsh-Childers, 2012). Interestingly, an analysis of the coverage of skin cancer and recreational tanning among American magazines showed misinformation and confusion about tanning and its relationship to skin cancer to be frequently mentioned among perceived barriers to prevention noted in the magazine articles (McWhirter & Hoffman-Goetz, 2016).…”