A state of the science on influential factors related to sun protective behaviors to prevent skin cancer in adults.
Amy F Bruce, Laurie Theeke, Jennifer Mallow
PMID 31406745WHAT IT FOUND
Sun protection behaviour in adults was linked to self-efficacy, habit, attitude and social influences.
Some interventions did not improve protection, so education should not be assumed to work.
Key findings
01Self-efficacy was reported as the best predictor of sunbathing behaviour, and attitude was the strongest correlate of sunscreen use in snow sports participants.
02Among first-degree relatives of people with melanoma, forty five percent had never had a total skin exam and twenty eight percent had not performed a skin self-exam in the past year.
03A solar UV forecast intervention raised perceived risk but did not support enhanced sun protection or reduced exposure.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Most included studies were cross-sectional or non-experimental, so they can show associations but not prove that changing a factor causes better sun protection. The review focused on adults described as White, Caucasian or non-Hispanic, so the findings may not apply to other racial or ethnic groups. The methods say two-hundred and thirty six studies were initially identified, but also refer to an original 240 articles, so the selection process is inconsistent. Only 18 articles were included, and several intervention findings were null or mixed, so the paper does not establish effective sun protection programs.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that nurse-led sun protection education or skin exams prevent skin cancer. This review mostly describes associations from cross-sectional studies, and the UV forecast intervention did not support enhanced sun protection or reduced exposure.