Survey of Sun Exposure Levels, Sun Protection Behavior, and Skin Cancer Risk Awareness in Junior Tennis Players

Despite a growing number of young adults developing skin cancers, little is known about the sun‐protective behavior of high school athletes exposed to high levels of UV radiation, such as junior tennis players. To investigate the frequency and quality of their sun protective behaviors, a web‐based, anonymous survey was conducted among tennis players at high school varsity matches and United States Tennis Association tournaments in Southern California. Although 92.6% of the 81 respondents indicated they play during peak sun intensity hours, 46.9% stated they do not regularly wear sunscreen, 27.2% do not routinely wear hats or visors, only 9.9% wear protective eyewear, and 4.9% wear UV‐protective clothing; furthermore, 87.5% of junior tennis players stated they are not very familiar with skin cancer, but 73.8% would like to learn more about it. The results of this study demonstrate a lack of consistent sun protective behavior among junior tennis players, providing a rationale for the development of targeted educational campaigns to increase skin cancer risk awareness and more effective sun‐protective behavior.