Readiness to change sun-protective behaviour.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Dermatology
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Skin cancer incidence, including malignant melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers, has risen significantly in Sweden over the past two decades.
• Primary prevention strategies are crucial for reversing this trend.
• Tailoring health messages to the population's readiness to change can improve the effectiveness of community-based prevention efforts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate readiness to adopt sun-protective behaviors among two distinct groups: visitors to mobile screening units and beachgoers.
• To validate a single-item algorithm for assessing stages of change in sun-protective behavior, drawing from the Transtheoretical Model of Behaviour Change.

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire was administered to 742 visitors of mobile screening units and 202 individuals on nearby beaches in Sweden.
• Readiness to change was assessed using a modified Transtheoretical Model of Behaviour Change framework, focusing on sun-protective behaviors.
• A single-item algorithm was employed to determine the stage of change for each participant.

Main Results:

• Visitors to mobile screening units demonstrated a higher engagement in action/maintenance stages of sun-protective behaviors compared to beachgoers.
• The single-item algorithm proved sensitive in differentiating stages of readiness for adopting sun-protective behaviors across the studied groups.

Conclusions:

• The validated single-item algorithm is a practical tool for assessing readiness to change sun-protective behavior, aligning with the Transtheoretical Model of Behaviour Change.
• This method's sensitivity and ease of use make it suitable for integration into population surveys.
• Findings support the development of targeted and effective skin cancer prevention programs by leveraging readiness-to-change assessments.