Date of Conferral

2023

Degree

Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)

School

Public Health

Advisor

Shanna Barnett

Abstract

Sun exposure increases the risk of sun-related illnesses and skin cancer among U.S. Hispanic farmworkers. Reinforced by the health belief model, the purpose of this study was to determine the association between socio-demographic factors (i.e., age, educational attainment, gender, income, and marital status) and skin cancer with the level of sun exposure (sun’s effect on skin, sunburn reported) and protective behaviors (use of cap/visor, use of sunscreen) among adult Hispanic farmworkers in the United States. The study included Hispanic farmworkers aged 21 or older (N = 112) who responded to the 2015 National Health Interview Survey. Ordinal logistic regression showed that older male Hispanic farmworkers are positively associated with the use of cap/visor, and females are associated with the use of sunscreen. Binary logistic regression showed that increasing age was associated with a decreased likelihood of sunburn reported, χ2(1) = 3.764, p = 0.052, (95% CI, 0.921 to 1.000). Increasing knowledge of beneficial behaviors that decrease sun exposure in Hispanic farmworkers represents a positive social change for public health. This research can inform current interventions and policies aimed at reducing sun-related illnesses and skin cancer among Hispanic farmworkers in the United States.

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