Sun protection and young female beachgoers: A formative theory-based approach to identifying key sun safe beliefs

Abstract

Issue addressed: The prevalence of skin cancer remains at a high level in Australia. Young female Australian beachgoers are an at-risk population of skin cancer. Research on sun-protective beliefs held by this at-risk group is limited. Methods: Based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), we conducted a formative study to understand key sun safe messages among young female beachgoers in Queensland, including an elicitation study (Phase 1; N = 21, M age  = 24.30 years) and a two-wave questionnaire survey (Phase 2; N = 140, M age  = 23.96 years). Results: Following content analysis and regression analyses, three key beliefs were identified: “be uncomfortable and/or unstylish” (behavioural belief), “friends and peers” (normative belief) and “lack of motivation to reapply sunscreen” (control belief). Conclusions: The results highlight the influences of friends and peers on beachgoers’ sun-protective behaviour for this young female adult cohort. Compared to previous findings among the general population, discrepancies in beliefs suggest interventions targeting this cohort should specifically focus on fashionable sun safe images and motivation to reapply sunscreen. So what?: Future health promotion and public education should utilise various strategies according to specific groups given the discrepancies identified in beliefs. For female beachgoers, sun safe images and motivations should be the primary foci.