Frequency of sunscreen use varied, with 32 percent reporting 'never' using it, and 14 percent 'always' using it. In each case, however, worry more directly influenced people's behaviour than informational findings, and increasing degrees of worry were associated with increased sunscreen use. 'This study is important because most of what we do in public health communications focuses on spreading knowledge and information,' Kiviniemi said. 'By not addressing emotions, we are potentially missing a rich influence on behaviour when interventions do not address feelings,' he added. Read about the common symptoms of cancer.
The study appeared in the Journal of Behavioural Medicine.
Here are some facts about skin cancer you should know:
Skin cancer is not something one comes across commonly in India. But none-the-less the risk of developing this form of cancer is still a possibility. Here are the top 10 facts about the disease by Dr. J.B. Sharma, Senior Consultant, Medical Oncology, Action Cancer Hospital, Delhi.
Fact #1: Skin cancer is uncommon yet possible in India
It is not very common in India and constitutes approximately less than 1% of the total number of cancers cases. You can also read about how sun tanning is one of the leading causes of skin cancer.
Fact #2: The symptoms are easy to recognise yet difficult to discern
Although the condition is uncommon, one should always be cautious about any abnormality in any area of the skin like:
Skin changes may also occur due to damage caused by the sun. Some people - especially those with fair skin - can get crusty, coarse, or bumpy spots. These spots are called 'actinic keratoses', and are often found on the face, ears, arms or scalp, and can sometimes turn into skin cancer.
These symptoms are common missed out or thought to be due to some sort of skin ailment. This tends to delay treatment and diagnosis.
Fact # 3: The causes of the cancer are many, but moles are the most dangerous precipitative factor
There are both environmental and genetic risk factors:
Familial or hereditary factors: Roughly 10 percent of melanomas are familial i.e. they occur in the family members. There are multiple genes responsible for this. One of these is CDKN2A, cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A mutation.
People with Dysplastic Nevi: Dysplastic nevi is a condition where a person has a mole-like growth on their skin that has irregular borders and varies in colour. It's cause is yet unknown but individuals with dysplastic or atypical nevi carry a 20-fold more risk of developing malignant melanoma compared to the general population. Approximately 10 to 20 percent of diagnosed melanomas arise within atypical nevi.
People with high nevus count (large number of moles) - There is a strong connection between high nevus counts (more than 25) and melanoma. High nevus counts are more associated with melanoma developing on the legs or trunk, compared to other parts of the body. Read more about 10 facts about skin cancer you probably didn't know about
With inputs from IANS
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