title: Scottish adolescents' sun-related behaviours, tanning attitudes and associations with skin cancer awareness: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe Scottish adolescents' sun-related behaviours and tanning attitudes and assess associations with skin cancer awareness.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  20 state secondary schools in one Scottish local authority (Glasgow City).
  
  
  METHODS
  2173 adolescents (females: 50.7%, n=1102) with a mean age of 12.4 (SD=0.55).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sun-related behaviour (suntan, sunbathing, sunburn, sunscreen use, sunbed use), tanning attitudes, skin cancer-related symptom and risk factor awareness.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adolescents reported poor sun-related practice: 51% of adolescents reported sunburn the previous summer of whom 38% indicated sunburn on more than one occasion. Skin cancer awareness was low: 45% recognised 'change in the appearance of a mole' as a cancer symptom, and 39% agreed that 'getting sunburnt more than once as a child' increased cancer risk. 42% and 26% of adolescents, respectively, reported that friends and family held protanning attitudes. Compared with males, females were statistically significantly more likely to: report sunbathing (p<0.001), use of lotions or oil to aid tanning (p=0.009) and sunburn (p<0.001); know that changes in the appearance of a mole was a skin cancer symptom (p=0.036) and sunburn more than once as a child was a skin cancer risk factor (p=0.005); perceive their friends to hold protanning attitudes (p<0.001) and indicate that a tan made them feel better about themselves (p<0.001), more attractive to others (p=0.011) and healthier (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Scottish adolescents had poor sun protection practice and low skin cancer awareness. Girls adopted riskier sun-related behaviour despite greater awareness of skin cancer-related risk. Urgent action is required to promote positive sun-related behaviour and increase skin cancer awareness among Scottish adolescents. However, further research is needed to inform the development of effective sun-safe interventions.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Care Research Centre, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK.
authors.forename: Richard G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Kyle
authors.forename: Iona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Macmillan
authors.forename: Liz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Forbat
authors.forename: Richard D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Neal
authors.forename: Ronan E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: O'Carroll
authors.forename: Sally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Haw
authors.forename: Gill
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hubbard
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001364:Awareness; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D055108:Sunbathing / Q000523:psychology*; D013471:Sunburn / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D013473:Sunscreening Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D013473:Sunscreening Agents
keywords: Public Health