SKIN-CANCER PREVENTION AND DETECTION PRACTICES IN A MICHIGAN FARM POPULATION FOLLOWING AN EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION

Farmers face an increased risk of skin cancer, presumed to be secondar y to their increased occupational exposure to sunlight. This study exa mines skin cancer prevention and detection beliefs and practices among adult farmers in defined control and comparison farming communities i n four contiguous counties of Michigan, before and after a community-b ased educational intervention. The educational intervention included m ailing packets containing information on skin cancer risks and communi ty sources for screening, disseminating articles in local newspapers o n skin cancer prevention and control measures, and providing informati on and screening at local county fairs and agricultural community fair s. The responses of 2,999 survey participants were analyzed to identif y the interrelationships among their beliefs and their descriptions of their (primary preventive) self-care and professional medical cave se eking (for detection and treatment) practices. Factors associated with the likelihood of skin cancer screening and with measures of knowledg e and practices associated with medical care of skin cancer were exami ned. The intervention appeared to improve the practice of preventive b ehaviors and seeking medical care.