Predictors of sun protection behavior in high school students of Ahvaz: a cross-sectional study

Sun protection behaviors among children aged 6-18 years old, the role of socioeconomic factors: A cross-sectional study

Background and Aims

Evaluation of sun protection behavior and related factors in children aged between 6 and 18 years in Isfahan, Iran.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted at outpatient pediatric clinics affiliated with Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran during the summer of 2021. A checklist was designed, and the interviewer used that to gather the required information including children's demographic characteristics, families' socioeconomic data, and sun-protective behaviors in children.

Results

The mean ± standard deviation (SD) age of children was 10.54 ± 3.61. Among the study population, 63.7% of children were male. The most common skin phototypes were II and III (33.5% each). 83.8% of children used at least one method of sun protection (94.5% of girls, 77.6% of boys, p < 0.001). Wearing long-sleeved clothes was the most frequent UV-protection method (48%), while sunscreen application was the least prevalent method (28.1%). Sun protection behaviors were more frequent among urban children (86.7%, p = 0.009) and children with wealthy families (94%, p = 0.035). Sun protection methods were used by most of the children whose mothers applied sunscreen on a daily basis (90.2%, p = 0.002) and all of the children whose mothers held a master's degree or above (100%, p = 0.004).

Conclusion

Children's sun protection behavior is directly associated with demographic characteristics, families' socioeconomic level and maternal usage of sun protection measures. It is necessary to provide information and education about sun protection methods and the risks of excessive sun exposure to families and children, as well as facilitate their access to these.

Application of the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) in Teaching Skin Cancer Prevention Behaviors in Male Students

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.