Sun-safe behaviours, personal risk, level of concern, and knowledge about cutaneous melanoma in Italy: Time for social marketing?

Aleo, G., Bagnasco, A., Cozzani, E., Parodi, A., Cannavò, S. P., Watson, R., Hayter, M., Geddes, Lesley, Catania, G., Zanini, M. and Sasso, L. (2020) Sun-safe behaviours, personal risk, level of concern, and knowledge about cutaneous melanoma in Italy: Time for social marketing? Journal of Preventive Medicine and Hygiene, 61 (2). E246-E258. ISSN 1121-2233

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2020.61.2.1...

Abstract

Introduction. The incidence of cutaneous melanoma is increasing, although 80-95 of all deaths caused by melanoma can be avoided through protective behaviours. There is evidence that social marketing as an approach in public health can improve health-related behaviours and encourage sun-safe behaviours. Methods. A multicentre survey was conducted to collect and compare data about cutaneous melanoma risk, knowledge, concern, and protective behaviours across Northern, Central, and Southern Italy, and explore how these data could potentially inform a social marketing intervention to improve sun-safe behaviours. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results. A total of 1,028 questionnaires were collected. Apart from 'Personal Risk' no statistically significant differences were found between the three regions. About 30 (n! =! 344) of the total sample had high levels of personal risk, and low levels of concern and protective behaviour, and over 70 (n!=!711) gave priority to sun tanning. The worst scores were related to knowledge about melanoma (30 wrong answers, and over 40 'don't know'). Protective behaviour was moderately correlated with age (p!=!0.03). Personal risk was significantly higher in women (10.84 vs 10.05), and lower in individuals with a degree (9.46 vs 11.38; p!<!0.001). Conclusions. Over 70 of our sample gave priority to sun tanning, which combined with low levels of concern and knowledge about melanoma, and high levels of personal risk, confirm that much still needs to be done in terms of melanoma prevention, but all these are aspects that could be effectively addressed through social marketing interventions.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: Funding Information: We thank the Dermatology Clinics of the University of Genoa, and of the University of Messina, for their precious collaboration and for collecting data in Genoa and Messina, respectively. We also thank the IDI Dermatology Hospital in Rome, for supporting the conduction of the pilot study. We thank the undergraduate students Beatrice Faccini and Irene Di Iorio from the School of Nursing of the University of Genoa, for their support with data entry. Funding sources: this study was funded by the University of Genoa.
Uncontrolled Keywords: Cutaneous melanoma, prevention, risk, concern, protective behaviour, knowledge, social marketing
Subjects: B900 Others in Subjects allied to Medicine
Department: Faculties > Health and Life Sciences > Social Work, Education and Community Wellbeing
Depositing User: John Coen
Date Deposited: 31 Aug 2022 08:07
Last Modified: 31 Aug 2022 08:15
URI: https://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/49984

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