Predictors of summer sun safety practice intentions among rural high school students.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association between theoretically grounded psychosocial motivators and the sun safety practice intentions of rural youth.

METHODS

A survey was given to 219 members of FFA (Future Farmers of America) at high schools in the rural Midwest (average age = 16).

RESULTS

Perceived self-efficacy, peer norms, response efficacy, and susceptibility predicted protective clothing and sunscreen use intentions. Among boys, perceived norms among same-sex peers; but among girls, norms among both same- and opposite-sex peers, were significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Self-efficacy should be an important component of sun safety education for rural youth. Gender-specific peer norms should also be addressed.