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The role of risk perception in explaining parental sunscreen use
Hein de Vries1, Liesbeth van Osch, Kim Eijmael
1Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands. hein.devries@gvo.unimaas.nl
Psychology & Health
|May 16, 2012
Summary
Parental risk perceptions about skin cancer influence sunscreen use in children. Perceptions of susceptibility and severity, when combined additively, best predict parental sunscreen behaviors, mediated by attitudes and self-efficacy.
Area of Science:
- Health behavior research
- Risk perception studies
- Skin cancer prevention
Background:
- Parental sunscreen use is crucial for child skin cancer prevention.
- Understanding factors influencing parental protection behaviors is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between parents' skin cancer risk perceptions and their children's sunscreen use.
- To identify the best combination of susceptibility and severity assessments for predicting parental sunscreen behaviors.
- To determine if risk perceptions directly influence behavior or are mediated by attitudes, social norms, and self-efficacy.
Main Methods:
- Two longitudinal studies were conducted with parents of toddlers (N=391) and young children (N=436).
- Parental sunscreen application on children was the primary outcome measure.
- Path analyses were used to model the influence of risk perceptions on behavior.
Main Results:
- Parental risk perceptions correlated with future sunscreen protection behaviors.
- An additive model of susceptibility and severity provided the best fit for predicting behavior.
- Risk perceptions influenced intention and behavior indirectly, mediated by attitudes, social influence, and self-efficacy.
Conclusions:
- Susceptibility and severity should be treated as an additive function in health communication models.
- Risk perceptions impact behavior by shaping attitudinal and self-efficacy beliefs.
- Health communication programs should address risk perceptions to enhance awareness, attitudes, and self-efficacy regarding skin cancer prevention.
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