Study suggests lack of awareness of sun safety

Philadelphia - A recent study suggests a continued lack of awareness in the United States regarding the best steps to take to minimize overexposure to the sun, news source Cosmeticsdesign.com reports.

Using data from the 2005 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), researchers at the Fox Chase Cancer Center here have found that the majority of Americans engage in more than one high-risk behavior, the most prevalent of which are insufficient use of SPF-15 or above sunscreen and infrequent use of sun-protective clothing.

According to the study, young people between the ages of 18 and 29 are the least likely to use high SPF sunscreens frequently, which, the authors say, reflects the need for sunscreen manufacturers and national education programs to target this demographic.

In addition, people in the 65-plus age group are only slightly more likely to be frequent users of sunscreens than their younger counterparts.

The study also notes that other demographic groups identified as displaying multiple high-risk behaviors include men, non-Hispanic whites and people with lower levels of education.