Sun protection behaviors among Latino migrant farmworkers in eastern North Carolina

• Published in: Journal of occupational and environmental medicine Vol. 56; no. 12; p. 1325
• Main Authors: Kearney, Gregory D, Phillips, Charles, Allen, Daniel Landon, Hurtado, Giovanny A, Hsia, Ling-Lun Bob
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.12.2014
• Subjects: Adult; Agriculture; Cross-Sectional Studies; Early Detection of Cancer; Eye Protective Devices; Health Behavior; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Hispanic Americans - psychology; Humans; Interviews as Topic; Male; Mexico - ethnology; Middle Aged; North Carolina; Occupational Diseases - diagnosis; Occupational Diseases - prevention & control; Occupational Health; Protective Clothing; Skin Neoplasms - diagnosis; Skin Neoplasms - prevention & control; Sunscreening Agents - therapeutic use; Transients and Migrants - psychology; Ultraviolet Rays - adverse effects; North Carolina; Mexico
• ISSN: 1536-5948
• DOI: 10.1097/jom.0000000000000275

Farmworkers are at an increased risk of skin cancer from exposure to excessive amounts of ultraviolet radiation from the sun. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate sun protection behaviors. A cross-sectional study of Latino farmworkers in eastern North Carolina was conducted using personal interviews followed by a full-body examination for skin cancers (N = 157). Participants were predominately, young, males from Mexico who spent 9 or more hours each work day in the sun. Most reported wearing long sleeved shirts (85.7%) and long pants (98.0%). Few workers rarely used sunscreen (90.8%) or wore sunglasses (87.4%). Skin cancers were not identified among workers. In general, farmworkers lack sufficient information and knowledge about the risks of skin cancer from the sun. Interventions for reducing excessive ultraviolet radiation exposures are warranted.