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. 2025 Oct;32(5):767-780.
doi: 10.1007/s12529-024-10257-7. Epub 2024 Feb 15.

Ethnic and Gender Differences in Sun-Related Cognitions Among College Students: Implications for Intervention

Charlotte J Hagerman  1 , Michelle L Stock  2 , Mary C Jobe  3 , Laura A Dwyer  2 , Amy E Houlihan  4 , Ellen W Yeung  2
Affiliations

Ethnic and Gender Differences in Sun-Related Cognitions Among College Students: Implications for Intervention

Charlotte J Hagerman et al. Int J Behav Med. 2025 Oct.

Abstract

Background: Skin cancer incidence and prognosis vary by ethnicity and gender, and previous studies demonstrate ethnic and gender differences in sun-related cognitions and behaviors that contribute to this disease. The current study sought to inform skin cancer interventions tailored to specific demographic groups of college students. The study applied the prototype willingness model (PWM) to examine how unique combinations of ethnic and gender identities influence sun-related cognitions.

Method: Using data from a survey of 262 college students, the study tested whether self-reported sun-related cognitions were different for White women, Hispanic women, White men, and Hispanic men. Path modeling was also used to identify which PWM cognitions (e.g., prototypes, norms) were the strongest predictors of risk and protection intentions and willingness in each demographic group.

Results: Several differences in sun-related cognitions and PWM pathways emerged across groups, emphasizing the need for tailored skin cancer education and interventions. Results suggest that, for White women, interventions should primarily focus on creating less favorable attitudes toward being tan.

Conclusion: Interventions for Hispanic women may instead benefit from manipulating perceived similarity to sun-related prototypes, encouraging closer personal identification with images of women who protect their skin and encouraging less identification with images of women who tan. For White men, skin cancer interventions may focus on creating more favorable images of men who protect their skin from the sun. Lastly, interventions for Hispanic men should increase perceived vulnerability for skin cancer.

Keywords: Ethnicity; Prototype willingness model; Skin cancer; Sun protection; Tanning.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethical Approval: All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Additionally the study was approved by the George Washington University Institutional Review Board (IRB #111216) and the Texas A&M University Corpus Christi Institutional Review Board (IRB #162-12). Consent to Participate: Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study prior to starting the study. Conflict of Interest: The authors declare no competing interests. Disclaimer: Dr. Dwyer is a Scientific Program Manager (Contractor) with Cape Fox Facilities Services at the Behavioral Research Program, National Cancer Institute. The content of this paper is solely the responsibility of the author and does not necessarily represent the official views or policies of the US National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, or Department of Health and Human Services.

References

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