SUNBURN RISK AND FLORIDA RESIDENTS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY EXAMINING DEMOGRAPHIC, DERMATOLOGICAL AND ATTITUDINAL FACTORS.

Steele Auditorium

Objective. This study was conducted to identify predictors of having had a red or painful sunburn among people living in Florida. Background. Skin cancer is the most common malignancy in the US. Rates of skin cancer are elevated in states, such as Florida, where the amount of ultraviolet radiation is high. Sunburn is both significant and easily preventable risk factor for skin cancer. For instance, the risk of melanoma - the deadliest type of skin cancer - nearly doubles for individuals with history of sunburn. Methods. A total of 619 Florida residents, 18 years of age or older, were recruited from public places and on-line to complete an anonymous cross-sectional survey to assess demographic, dermatological, knowledge, attitudinal and behavior factors associated with main outcome variable - sunburn. Sunburn was defined as having a red or painful sunburn lasting a day or more in the last 12 months. Results. In multivariate logistic regression, younger age was the most significant predictor of sunburn. Other significant predictors included identifying as non-white, reporting higher levels of skin sensitivity to the sun, having had a full body skin exam by clinician, having high perceived vulnerability to skin cancer, and having a less favorable attitude towards sun protection. The model was statistically significant at p<.001 and correctly classified 78% of participants. Conclusion. The findings highlight the urgency of developing tailored sunburn prevention programs particularly aimed for younger individuals. The link between attitudinal factors and sunburn suggests that such programs might benefit from promoting changes in attitudes. Grants. NSU COM Research Fellowship Program