Many attempts have been made to change sun protection and skin cancer awareness in both patients and the general population. However, these efforts have had varied success. Few studies have implemented behavioral theories of individual risk assessment as a component of behavioral intervention. We have developed a behavior intervention questionnaire study in which the intervention will be a composite of skin cancer screening and education. A component of the education will focus on using the """"""""risk as precautions"""""""" model to enhance the subject's personal awareness of skin cancer risk. Populations with increased risk of skin cancer will benefit most from this type of intervention. The Maryland Watermen's Association (MWA) represents a population with a known increased risk of occupational induced skin cancer. We will conduct a behavior intervention questionnaire study of licensed Maryland watermen. The study will address the following issues: 1) whether education alone or education and skin cancer screening is an effective tool for changing sun protection behavior in an adult population with occupational exposure; 2) whether skin cancer risk awareness can predict a change in sun protection. This study will provide critical data for subsequent use of the risk as precautions model and skin cancer screening as methods to increase skin cancer awareness and change sun protection behavior in outdoor workers.
