Female university students\u2019 knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours towards sun exposure and the use of artificial tanning devices: the essence of reducing risky behaviours

Orla Mcdaid,Vidar Melby

doi:10.1007/s10389-020-01335-7

Abstract

AimTo investigate female university students’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours towards sun exposure and the use of artificial tanning devices.Subject and methodsA descriptive correlational survey design using online questionnaires, targeting a population of female university students aged 18–25 from one university in the United Kingdom.ResultsThree hundred and thirty-five students participated (response rate = 26.4%). Students demonstrated average knowledge and good attitude to tanning behaviours, but neither were statistically significantly associated with tanning behaviours. Students showed a history of substantial tanning behaviours, including the use of sunbeds, primarily because having a tanned skin made them look good and thus feel better.ConclusionThis study has re-affirmed that there is no simple correlation between individuals’ knowledge and attitudes and subsequent sun-tanning behaviours. Feeling good and looking good are critical attributes to female university students’ self-esteem, and these values and beliefs outweigh risk perception of sun-tanning behaviours, and female university students continue to engage in risky tanning behaviours. Focused health promotion activities by public health authorities and higher education institutions should target students’ principal belief of looking good feeling good, as such targeted health promotion may reduce harmful sun tanning behaviours and ultimately mitigate the rising incidence in skin cancers.

Highlights

The incidence and prevalence of people diagnosed with skin cancer have been increasing steadily worldwide, with the World Cancer Research Fund (2019) reporting that 1.3 million people were diagnosed with skin cancers in 2018
This paper reports a study that aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and self-reported behaviours of female university students aged 18–25 towards sun exposure and tanning bed practices
Gaining in-depth understanding of female university students’ knowledge, attitudes, and tanning behaviours could provide a platform from which public health agencies could intervene effectively in order to mitigate the increasing skin cancer rates in this population

Summary

Introduction

The incidence and prevalence of people diagnosed with skin cancer have been increasing steadily worldwide, with the World Cancer Research Fund (2019) reporting that 1.3 million people were diagnosed with skin cancers in 2018. This incidence is thought to be an underreporting, as the Ulster University, Londonderry BT48 7JL, UK. In the United Kingdom (UK), 15,000 new cases of melanoma skin cancer were diagnosed annually between 2014 and 2016, with a 134% rise in the incidence rate since the early 1990s, and occurring more commonly in people over 85 years of age (Cancer Research 2019). As reported by Robertson and Fitzgerald (2017), the UK population has inherent non-modifiable physical risk factors to skin burning such as light eyes

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