Skin Cancer and UV Protection Attitudes towards POC

As the sun continues to beat down from the sky, it becomes more and more essential to incorporate ultraviolet (UV) protection into our daily routine; however, health-care providers mainly advise this idea towards non-Hispanic White individuals. But why?

In the United States, the most common type of cancer diagnosed is skin cancer. While non-Hispanic Whites have the highest rate of melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers, “there is higher morbidity and mortality” of these cases within people of color (Calderón et al, 2018, para. 1). Moreover, although the frequency of skin cancers are found less within nonwhite communities, these individuals are often diagnosed with the disease at a more advanced stage (Skin Cancer Foundation, 2020).

In a study done by Calderón, Bleakley, Jordan, Lazovich, and Glanz (2018), it was found that sun protection behaviours differed within racial/ethnic groups, especially in regards to using sunscreen and wearing short-sleeved clothing. Additionally, signs for skin cancer, such as basal cell carcinomas (BCC), are different based on your skin color. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation (2020), fair skin is often used in educational material that shows BCC as having a pink appearance. However, amongst patients with darker complexions, BCC has a brown pigment, making it harder to detect.

The sun does not discriminate against people based on the color of their skin. However, the different attitudes within non-Hispanic white groups and their counterparts can be associated with the lack of awareness the public has about the effects of UV radiation towards people of color and the lack of sun protection promotion towards this same community. To counter this, public health officials need to educate themselves and minority communities on the signs of skin cancer and the importance of UV protection. Overall, the lack of awareness regarding skin cancer detection leads to adverse effects for people of color.

References:

Calderón, T. A., Bleakley, A., Jordan, A. B., Lazovich, D., & Glanz, K. (2018, December 28). Correlates of sun protection behaviors in racially and ethnically diverse U.S. adults. PubMed Central (PMC). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6369227/

Skin Cancer Foundation. (2020, July 5). Ask the Expert: Is There a Skin Cancer Crisis in People of Color? The Skin Cancer Foundation. https://www.skincancer.org/blog/ask-the-expert-is-there-a-skin-cancer-crisis-in-people-of-color/

[Untitled image of a person at the beach]. healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/black-people-need-sunscreen