TY - JOUR
T1 - Sun-safe behaviours, personal risk, level of concern, and knowledge about cutaneous melanoma in Italy
T2 - Time for social marketing?
AU - Aleo, G.
AU - Bagnasco, A.
AU - Cozzani, E.
AU - Parodi, A.
AU - Cannavò, S. P.
AU - Watson, R.
AU - Hayter, M.
AU - Geddes, L.
AU - Catania, G.
AU - Zanini, M.
AU - Sasso, L.
N1 - 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.
PY - 2020/7/4
Y1 - 2020/7/4
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
KW - Cutaneous melanoma
KW - prevention
KW - risk
KW - concern
KW - protective behaviour
KW - knowledge
KW - social marketing
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85089711721&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2020.61.2.1484
DO - 10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2020.61.2.1484
M3 - Article
C2 - 32803011
AN - SCOPUS:85089711721
SN - 1121-2233
VL - 61
SP - E246-E258
JO - Journal of Preventive Medicine and Hygiene
JF - Journal of Preventive Medicine and Hygiene
IS - 2
ER -
