Skin Cancer Knowledge, Beliefs, Self-Efficacy, and Preventative Behaviors among North Mississippi Landscapers

There are slightly over one million workers in the landscape service industry in the US. These workers have potential for high levels of solar ultraviolet radiation exposure, increasing their risk of skin cancer. A cross-sectional sample of 109 landscapers completed a self-administered questionnaire...

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Main Authors: Vinayak K. Nahar, M. Allison Ford, Jeffrey S. Hallam, Martha A. Bass, Amanda Hutcheson, Michael A. Vice
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2013-01-01
Series:Dermatology Research and Practice
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/496913
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author Vinayak K. Nahar
M. Allison Ford
Jeffrey S. Hallam
Martha A. Bass
Amanda Hutcheson
Michael A. Vice
author_facet Vinayak K. Nahar
M. Allison Ford
Jeffrey S. Hallam
Martha A. Bass
Amanda Hutcheson
Michael A. Vice
author_sort Vinayak K. Nahar
collection DOAJ
description There are slightly over one million workers in the landscape service industry in the US. These workers have potential for high levels of solar ultraviolet radiation exposure, increasing their risk of skin cancer. A cross-sectional sample of 109 landscapers completed a self-administered questionnaire based on Health Belief Model (HBM). The participants correctly answered 67.1% of the knowledge questions, 69.7% believed they were more likely than the average person to get skin cancer, and 87.2% perceived skin cancer as a severe disease. Participants believed that the use of wide-brimmed hats, long sleeved shirts/long pants, and sunscreen was beneficial but reported low usage of these and other sun protective strategies. The primary barriers to using sun protection were “I forget to wear it” and “it is too hot to wear.” Of the HBM variables, perceived benefits outweighing perceived barrier (, ) and self-efficacy (, ) were correlated with sun protection behaviors. The reasons for absence of the relationship between perceived skin cancer threat and sun protection behaviors could be lack of skin cancer knowledge and low rate of personal skin cancer history.
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spelling doaj-art-3f7173d557e44d249d2931657e0465422025-08-20T03:35:53ZengWileyDermatology Research and Practice1687-61051687-61132013-01-01201310.1155/2013/496913496913Skin Cancer Knowledge, Beliefs, Self-Efficacy, and Preventative Behaviors among North Mississippi LandscapersVinayak K. Nahar0M. Allison Ford1Jeffrey S. Hallam2Martha A. Bass3Amanda Hutcheson4Michael A. Vice5Department of Health, Exercise Science & Recreation Management, University of Mississippi, 215 Turner Center, P.O. Box 1848, Oxford, MS 38677, USADepartment of Health, Exercise Science & Recreation Management, University of Mississippi, 215 Turner Center, P.O. Box 1848, Oxford, MS 38677, USADepartment of Social and Behavioral Sciences, College of Public Health, Kent State University, 750 Hilltop Drive, Kent, OH 44242, USADepartment of Health, Exercise Science & Recreation Management, University of Mississippi, 215 Turner Center, P.O. Box 1848, Oxford, MS 38677, USADepartment of Health, Exercise Science & Recreation Management, University of Mississippi, 215 Turner Center, P.O. Box 1848, Oxford, MS 38677, USADepartment of Health, Exercise Science & Recreation Management, University of Mississippi, 215 Turner Center, P.O. Box 1848, Oxford, MS 38677, USAThere are slightly over one million workers in the landscape service industry in the US. These workers have potential for high levels of solar ultraviolet radiation exposure, increasing their risk of skin cancer. A cross-sectional sample of 109 landscapers completed a self-administered questionnaire based on Health Belief Model (HBM). The participants correctly answered 67.1% of the knowledge questions, 69.7% believed they were more likely than the average person to get skin cancer, and 87.2% perceived skin cancer as a severe disease. Participants believed that the use of wide-brimmed hats, long sleeved shirts/long pants, and sunscreen was beneficial but reported low usage of these and other sun protective strategies. The primary barriers to using sun protection were “I forget to wear it” and “it is too hot to wear.” Of the HBM variables, perceived benefits outweighing perceived barrier (, ) and self-efficacy (, ) were correlated with sun protection behaviors. The reasons for absence of the relationship between perceived skin cancer threat and sun protection behaviors could be lack of skin cancer knowledge and low rate of personal skin cancer history.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/496913
spellingShingle Vinayak K. Nahar
M. Allison Ford
Jeffrey S. Hallam
Martha A. Bass
Amanda Hutcheson
Michael A. Vice
Skin Cancer Knowledge, Beliefs, Self-Efficacy, and Preventative Behaviors among North Mississippi Landscapers
Dermatology Research and Practice
title Skin Cancer Knowledge, Beliefs, Self-Efficacy, and Preventative Behaviors among North Mississippi Landscapers
title_full Skin Cancer Knowledge, Beliefs, Self-Efficacy, and Preventative Behaviors among North Mississippi Landscapers
title_fullStr Skin Cancer Knowledge, Beliefs, Self-Efficacy, and Preventative Behaviors among North Mississippi Landscapers
title_full_unstemmed Skin Cancer Knowledge, Beliefs, Self-Efficacy, and Preventative Behaviors among North Mississippi Landscapers
title_short Skin Cancer Knowledge, Beliefs, Self-Efficacy, and Preventative Behaviors among North Mississippi Landscapers
title_sort skin cancer knowledge beliefs self efficacy and preventative behaviors among north mississippi landscapers
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/496913
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