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A cross-sectional survey of prevalence and correlates of sunscreen use among a rural Tri-State Appalachian population

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Abstract

Over five million people are diagnosed with skin cancers each year. With the sun’s ultraviolet radiation exposure being the major risk factor for all skin cancers, sunscreen use is a vital preventative measure. However, in the US, sunscreen use remains inadequate. Furthermore, research regarding sunscreen use amongst rural populations has been particularly sparse. To identify the prevalence of sunscreen use and identify correlates thereof, a cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of patients from rural Tri-State Appalachia. A total of 212 patients participated in this study. Findings showed that young individuals, females and those with higher educational attainment were more likely to utilize sunscreen. Furthermore, individuals with skin types prone to burning were four times as likely to utilize sunscreen. Overall, sunscreen use amongst residents in the Tri-State area was low, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to prevent the incidence of skin cancer amongst this population.

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Acknowledgements

Results of this study will be presented at the American Academy of Dermatology annual meeting in March, 2020.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN, USA

    James Luong, Ashley E. White, Nicole P. Shields & Timothy J. York

  2. Substance Use and Mental Health Laboratory, Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA

    Robert E. Davis

  3. Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Anjali Chandra

  4. Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State Street–L216, Jackson, MS, 39216, USA

    Ira D. Harber, Alexa A. Engel & Vinayak K. Nahar

  5. Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine/John D. Bower School of Population Health, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA

    Vinayak K. Nahar

Authors
  1. James Luong
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  2. Robert E. Davis
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  3. Anjali Chandra
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  4. Ashley E. White
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  5. Ira D. Harber
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  6. Alexa A. Engel
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  7. Nicole P. Shields
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  8. Timothy J. York
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  9. Vinayak K. Nahar
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Vinayak K. Nahar.

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Luong, J., Davis, R.E., Chandra, A. et al. A cross-sectional survey of prevalence and correlates of sunscreen use among a rural Tri-State Appalachian population. Arch Dermatol Res 313, 295–298 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00403-020-02072-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00403-020-02072-3

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