6 2019 Skin Cancer Prevention Progress Report WHAT’S NEW THIS YEAR? Over the past year, CDC researchers have led or collaborated on numerous peerreviewed scientific publications, bringing continued attention to skin cancer prevention as a public health priority. Below are some highlights. High School Girls Half as Likely to Indoor Tan When State Law Prohibits Use In July 2018, the American Journal of Public Health published a paper on the association between state indoor tanning laws and indoor tanning behavior among high school students.2 Age restriction laws were associated with a 47% lower indoor tanning prevalence among female high school students. Parental permission laws were not found to be associated with indoor tanning prevalence among either female or male high school students. Low Sunscreen Use Found Among Children Compared to Other Preventive Behaviors A paper published in Pediatric Dermatology in September 2018 examined sunscreen use among a sample of 5,119 fifth grade students and found lower use of sunscreen compared to adherence to other basic preventive behaviors (such as brushing and flossing teeth, helmet use, seat belt use, and well-child examination).3 Factors associated with lower odds of sunscreen use included being male, being non-Hispanic black or Hispanic, and having lower socioeconomic status. Skin Cancer Misperceptions Among Black and Hispanic Adults Data from 18 focus groups on skin cancer knowledge, awareness, beliefs, and preventive behaviors among black and Hispanic men and women were published in Preventive Medicine Reports in October 2018.4 The findings indicated low use of sun protection and highlighted misperceptions about risks and benefits of skin cancer prevention behaviors among black and Hispanic populations.
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