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Health
Parents Don't Perceive the Sun as an Equal Threat to Themselves
By American Academy of Dermatology
May 4, 2005, 18:51

Adults with children or grandchildren know that protecting their little ones from the sun is essential to preventing painful sunburns. But while parents and grandparents are busy slathering kids with sunscreen and arming them with hats and protective clothing, they are not as likely to practice this same behavior when it comes to protecting themselves, according to a new survey by the American Academy of Dermatology (Academy).

Speaking today at the Academy�s Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month news conference, dermatologist Darrell S. Rigel, M.D., clinical professor, New York University Medical Center in New York, N.Y., presented new data showing that adults are much more likely to protect their children from the sun than themselves.

When asked how often adults with children or grandchildren under age 12 protect their kids from sun exposure when they are together, the great majority (83%) of these adults reported that they always or usually do protect them. However, when these same parents and grandparents were asked how careful they are to protect their own skin from sun exposure, only about two-thirds (68%) of these adults said that they are careful about protecting themselves.

�It is apparent from our survey that adults know that sun exposure is dangerous and are vigilant in protecting their kids, but for some reason they don�t perceive the sun as an equal threat to themselves,� said Dr. Rigel. �What adults need to realize is that they�re setting a bad example by not wearing sunscreen, hats and sunglasses themselves. Adults� behavior sends a mixed message to kids that you don�t need to be as cautious about protecting your skin when you get older � which is completely untrue.�

The survey also found that household income made a difference in how likely adults were to protect their children from the sun. Of those respondents who were parents or grandparents, the number that said they protect their kids from the sun increased as household income increased � 71 percent of adults with household income up to $25,000 reported protecting their children from the sun vs. 93 percent of adults with household income of $75,000 or more.

Across geographical lines, the number of adults who said they protect their children from the sun was fairly equal � with adults in the north central region of the country slightly more likely (89 percent) to respond that they do than those in other areas of the country. Adults in the south, who have the most year-round chance of being in the sun with their kids, were slightly less likely (80 percent) to protect their kids than other regions.

A study published in the May 2000 Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found that 53 percent of parents surveyed reported applying sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher as their most frequent form of sun protection. However, the children who used sunscreen spent an average of nearly 22 percent more time in the sun on a weekend than children who were not using sunscreen � putting them at greater risk of sunburn.

�Using sunscreen properly is essential to preventing sunburn, meaning parents can�t just apply it once to their children and expect them to be protected all day,� said Dr. Rigel. �While sunscreen is important in preventing future skin cancers, parents need to use multiple forms of sun protection � such as covering up their kids with clothing and limiting their exposure to the sun during peak hours to ensure that they are properly protected. The fact is five or more sunburns double your risk of developing skin cancer.�
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Findings Could Explain Why Studies Show Men Over Age 50 Are at Greatest Risk for Developing Skin Cancer
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The old adage �boys will be boys� epitomizes the reckless abandon with which most boys view life � whether it�s racing dirt bikes on slick streets without wearing a helmet or spending countless hours on the beach without an ounce of sunscreen for protection. Now a new survey by the American Academy of Dermatology (Academy) confirms that teenage boys are the worst violators when it comes to protecting themselves from the sun. This may explain why studies cite middle-age and older men with higher rates of skin cancer than any other gender or age group.

Speaking today at the Academy�s Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month news conference, dermatologist Darrell S. Rigel, M.D., clinical professor, New York University Medical Center in New York, N.Y., presented new data on teen boys� attitudes about sun protection and why their behavior translates into an increased risk for developing skin cancer later in life.

�Without a doubt, teenagers are always the hardest demographic to reach with any health warning,� explained Dr. Rigel. �They don�t equate their bad behavior in the present with bad things happening to them later in life as a consequence. Skin cancer is no exception.�

Boys to Men
When it comes to playing it safe in the sun, the Academy survey found that teenage boys are least likely to stay out of harm�s way. In fact, older teen boys (aged 15 to 17) are the least careful when it comes to protecting their skin from sun exposure � with only 32 percent of those surveyed reporting that they are very or somewhat careful.

This lax behavior could explain findings from a previous study published in the January 2003 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology in which older white men had a higher incidence of skin cancer. By examining data obtained from the Academy�s Skin Cancer Screening Program, where dermatologists provide free skin cancer screenings to consumers, the study concluded that the majority (44 percent) of individuals diagnosed with melanoma � the deadliest form of skin cancer � were white men over the age of 50. These men accounted for fewer than 20 percent of all individuals screened during the three-year time period when the data was examined, suggesting that the incidence of skin cancer would be even higher in this demographic if more older men participated in the screenings.

�Invasive melanoma, which is the hardest type of skin cancer to treat, is currently the fifth most common cancer in men,� said Dr. Rigel. �While skin cancer can take years to develop, we need to reach teenage boys now to influence their behavior and reverse this alarming trend. Otherwise, the odds are extremely high that they will develop this potentially deadly form of skin cancer when they get older.�

Boys vs. Girls
The survey also compared the sun protection attitudes of boys and girls. �While boys are more careless, the survey found there are interesting differences between boys and girls when it comes to heeding our advice,� stated Dr. Rigel.

When asked how careful they are about protecting their skin from the sun, older teenage boys were the least vigilant compared to younger boys and girls of all ages. Among 15- to 17-year-old boys, only 32 percent reported that they are very careful or somewhat careful about protecting their skin from sun exposure � compared to 58 percent of girls of the same age.

Across the board, both younger and older teen boys (age 12 to 17) were less cautious in the sun than teenage girls (age 12 to 17). Considerably fewer boys reported wearing protective clothing and seeking shade when outdoors for long periods of time compared to girls, and only 33 percent of boys said that they apply sunscreen when they are going to be out in the sun vs. 53 percent of girls.

One area that boys fared better than girls was when they were asked if they wear hats when outdoors in the sun (50 percent of boys vs. 22 percent of girls), although Dr. Rigel noted that these hats tend to be baseball caps instead of wide-brimmed hats that provide the recommended sun protection. �While baseball caps are better than wearing no hat at all, they don�t adequately protect the neck and ears from sun exposure,� said Dr. Rigel.

Among all teens, younger teens (age 12 to 14) tend to be more vigilant about protecting themselves from the sun than older teens (age 15 to 17). When asked about how careful they are to protect their skin from the sun, 52 percent of the younger teens reported that they are very or somewhat careful vs. only 43 percent of older teens.

�With younger teens, parents still have influence on their child�s behavior which makes them more likely to wear sunscreen and protective clothing when they are going to be outdoors for a long period of time,� added Dr. Rigel. �On the other hand, older teens start exerting their independence and tend to ignore their parents� advice � including practicing proper sun protection.�

When asked about their use of tanning beds in the last year, boys were less likely to engage in this dangerous activity than girls � with only 5 percent of boys reporting that they used a tanning bed last year vs. 19 percent of girls. The majority of girls who used a tanning bed (39 percent) noted that the reason they did was to get a tan for a special occasion, such as a wedding or prom.

In March 2005, the World Health Organization (WHO) formally recognized the potential dangers that indoor tanning poses to minors and recommended that no person under the age of 18 should use a tanning bed. The American Academy of Dermatology Association (AADA) position statement on indoor tanning encourages states to aggressively pursue legislation that protects children.

Specifically, the AADA supports the following requirements for indoor tanning facilities:

* No minor should be permitted to use tanning devices.
* A Surgeon General�s warning should be placed on all tanning devices.
* No person or facility should advertise the use of any ultraviolet A or ultraviolet B tanning device using wording such as �safe,� �safe tanning,� �no harmful rays,� �no adverse effect,� or similar wording or concepts.

�Skin cancer is preventable but until teens change their behavior, we�ll continue to see skin cancer rates continue to rise in this country,� said Dr. Rigel.

The study results were determined by a random sample telephone survey conducted among a national sample of 505 teens comprising 254 males and 251 females 12 to 17 years of age, living in private households in the continental United States. This TEEN CARAVAN� survey was conducted in February 2005 by Opinion Research Corporation (Princeton, N.J.) in collaboration with the Academy.

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