The Assessment of Appearance Factors Related to Intentional UV Exposure
January 2005
in “
Digital Commons - University of South Florida (University of South Florida)
”
Studysummary This research identified distinct attitudes influencing sunbathing and tanning salon use among female university students, with general attractiveness and skin aging concerns being strong predictors of sun exposure and protection intentions.
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The document explored the motives behind sunbathing and indoor tanning, focusing on appearance-related attitudes that contribute to these behaviors, which are risk factors for skin cancer. Two studies were conducted with female university students. The first study involved 149 participants and identified six factors influencing tanning behaviors: general attractiveness, media influence, family and friends influence, physical fitness appearance, acne-specific reasons, and skin aging concerns. The second study, with 281 participants, confirmed these factors, highlighting that general attractiveness and skin aging concerns were the strongest predictors of UV exposure and sun protection intentions. These findings were intended to inform prevention and intervention programs to reduce skin cancer risk.
