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Many people
still have misconceptions about appropriate sun safety precautions,
including those who believe that getting a tan is healthy,
according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD).
An AAD
survey of 803 households, conducted in March and April 2002,
revealed that people understand that overexposure to the sun
can cause cancer but still believe that a tan is a sign of
health.
Ninety-five
percent of the survey respondents realized that sunburns are
a health risk for children and adolescents and 93 percent
knew that having too much sun exposure was unhealthy. However,
81 percent still thought they looked good after being out
in the sun. More than half of those surveyed admitted they
had gotten a tan during the past 12 months.
"People
are obviously more aware about the fact that 80 percent of
a person's lifetime sun exposure can occur before the age
of 18; however, there is a disparity between this knowledge
and the perceived health benefits of a tan," said Dr.
Mark Naylor, Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma
Health Science Center who spoke at the American Academy of
Dermatology's Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention
Month Press Conference.
"A
tan is still considered a standard of beauty and people may
believe that avoiding a sunburn by using sunscreens makes
tanning a safe activity and it doesn't," Naylor said.
"While avoiding a sunburn lessens the risk, it does not
avoid it altogether. Tanning with ultraviolet or natural sunlight
under any circumstances will increase cancer risk."
Ninety
percent of the survey respondents said they always or sometimes
wear sunscreen, and 83 percent said they always or sometimes
wear a hat while under the sun. Eighty percent believed that
sunscreens are used primarily to tan without burning. Only
57 percent believed that sunscreen should be used to avoid
tanning.
"Using
a sunscreen is popular because it is an easy way to practice
sun safety without making a major change in your behavior,"
said Naylor. "However, while many people use sunscreen,
it's important to reinforce the message that sunscreen should
be used to reduce exposure to the sun, and prevent premature
aging and skin cancer, not to aid in getting a tan. Using
a sunscreen to increase sun exposure during intentional tanning
tends to defeat its purpose."
The younger
than 25 age group showed less caution regarding the risks
of the sun. Almost half of that age group suffered a sunburn
during the past year, compared with 21 percent of those over
age 25.
Men surveyed
were less likely to protect themselves from the sun than women
with only 69 percent of them believing that sunscreen is necessary
when tanning, compared with 80 percent of the women. Men were
also less likely to reapply sunscreen and were more likely
to have gotten a tan during the past year. Women were also
more aware that the sun can cause premature aging.
"It's
interesting to note the differences between men and women's
sun safe behavior. Due to the importance placed in society
on health and youthfulness, women have gotten the message
about the effects the sun has on the skin, including the possibility
of prematurely aging skin or skin cancer," said Naylor.
"Men also value looking young, however, they mistakenly
believe that looking healthy should include a tan, when in
fact, a tan may eventually adversely affect their skin and
health."
"The
number of sun-related cancers continues to rise at an alarming
rate. If current trends continue, it is conceivable that they
may become the leading cancer-related cause of death among
Americans," said Naylor. "This survey bears out
what we previously suspected, that personal beliefs and attitudes
underlie the behavior driving this deadly trend. Unfortunately,
substantial numbers of Americans still do not respect the
dangers of sunlight, and view sun exposure and tanning as
healthy activities that enhance personal beauty."
Source:
Medical Week staff,
week of May 12, 2002
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