Fear of developing skin cancer is one of the stronger motives for people to use sunscreen, according to new US research.
The nationwide study considered 1,500 randomly-selected participants with no personal history of skin cancer, who were asked about their sunscreen use and to gauge their perceived risk and worry for getting skin cancer.
While overall frequency of sunscreen use varied, worry more directly influenced people’s behaviour than statistical likelihood of developing the disease.
Increasing degrees of worry were associated with increased sunscreen use.
Lead researcher Marc Kiviniemi said clinicians should consider feelings when encouraging people to use sunscreen.
Read more at University at Buffalo