title: Assessment of sun safety behavior among farmers attending a regional farm show in North Carolina.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Due to the nature of working outdoors, many farmers experience high levels of exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) whereby, increasing their risk for skin cancer. The primary goal of this study was to evaluate personal behavior and perception on sun protection among farmers attending a regional farm show in North Carolina.
  
  
  METHODS
  Farmers (n = 397) were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire regarding behavior and importance of using personal sun protection (i.e., sunblock, etc.,) when working outdoors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 285 (71.8%) male farmers and 79 (19.9%) female farmers with a mean age of 54 years. Overall, the majority of farmers recognized the importance of protecting themselves from the sun, however, actual personal behavior for using proper protection methods ranked low. Farmers with lighter, fairer skin tended to use more sun protection and ranked the importance of sun protection higher when compared to those with skin that was less likely to burn in the sun.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The importance of personal sun protection should continue to be stressed to farmers at every available opportunity including farm shows, trainings and through health care providers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina 27834, USA. kearneyg@ecu.edu
authors.forename: Gregory D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Kearney
authors.forename: C Suzanne
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Lea
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Balanay
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Jeffrey W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Bethel
authors.forename: Hayley
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Von Hollen
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sheppard
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tutor-Marcom
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Defazio
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000383:Agriculture; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009657:North Carolina; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013472:Sunlight / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013473:Sunscreening Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D013473:Sunscreening Agents