Type of Document	Thesis
Author	Payne, Patrea
URN	etd-03182004-104934
Title	Sun Protection Knowledge and Practices Among Adolescents in a Rural, Coastal Community
Degree	Master of Science
Department	Nursing, School of
Advisory Committee	Advisor Name Title Lauries Grubbs Committee Chair
Keywords	Adolescents Sun Protection Rural
Date of Defense	2004-02-06
Availability	unrestricted
Abstract The purpose of this study was to explore the knowledge level of skin cancer risk factors and practices of sun protection among rural adolescents in a north Florida coastal community. There has been significant evidence in research to find a correlation between most skin cancers and sun related exposure to ultraviolet rays. The participants studied were living in a rural, coastal community in north Florida. The participants were adolescents composed of 20 juniors and sophomores in a rural, coastal high school. The participants were divided into two groups from a convenient sample. Both groups were given questionnaires to obtain demographic information, knowledge level of skin cancer, and sun protective behaviors. The experimental group received an educational session including skin cancer facts and sun-protection behaviors during the first visit, while the control group received no additional education on this issue. A post-test evaluation of both groups was administered approximately 13 weeks after the initial visit to determine what knowledge had been retained and if practices had changed within the experimental group. After this post-test evaluation, the educational lesson was presented to the control group to ensure all participants were presented with the health promotion material. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, a one-way analysis of variance, and Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation were utilized in the data analysis. The results of this study were that almost half of the sample had fair skin, blue eyes, and blonde or red hair, a characteristic which is associated with an increased risk for the development of skin cancer. There was an overall improvement in the skin cancer knowledge between May and August. There was an overall significant change in the Sun Safe Questionnaire item regarding participants’ perception of developing skin cancer during their lifetime. Although the participants acknowledged their risk of developing skin cancer, they did not participate in sun-protection behaviors. There were no statistically significant changes noted in skin cancer knowledge and sun-protection behaviors between the experimental and control groups. Minimal improvements in the Knowledge Questionnaire and Sun Safe Questionnaire were noted, although not statistically significant. These improvements in skin cancer knowledge and sun-protection behaviors were evident in the overall sample, including both the experimental and control groups. However, there was no consistent pattern for answering the Knowledge Questionnaire and Sun Safe Questionnaire items among participants and no difference between the experimental and control groups. There was no significant correlation found between the knowledge of skin cancer and sun-protection behaviors among adolescents. Therefore, there is still a continual need for advanced practice nurses to research and implement sun-protection programs among the adolescent population.
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