53420 Temporal Trends in Sun Protective Behaviors in Hispanic and Non-Hispanic White Individuals in the United States

Recent data suggests that sun-protective behaviors have become more prevalent over the past decade(1). However, it remains unknown whether these changes have occurred variably across racial and ethnic groups. The objective of this study was to assess temporal trends in the prevalence of sun-protective behaviors in Non-Hispanic White (NHW) and Hispanic individuals in the United States. Using nationally representative data from the 2005 and 2020 National Health Interview Surveys(2), we calculated the weighted prevalence of sun-protective behaviors and performed a multivariable logistic regression to assess the association between year and sun-protective behaviors, adjusting for age, sex, region, and skin sensitivity to the sun. From 2005 to 2020, the prevalence of sun avoidance, sunscreen use, and sun-protective clothing use increased among both NHW and Hispanic participants while the prevalence of sunburn decreased in both groups. Although the absolute prevalence of sunscreen use was lower among Hispanic participants, they exhibited higher odds of sunscreen use in 2020 versus 2005 as compared to NHW participants. Hispanic participants also exhibited higher odds of sun-protective clothing use and lower odds of sunburn in 2020 versus 2005 compared to their NHW counterparts. Our findings suggest increases in sun-protective behaviors among both NHW and Hispanic individuals in 2020 compared to 2005. Moreover, they indicate that Hispanic individuals may be adopting these behaviors at faster rates than NHW individuals. Interestingly, this trend coincides with a worsening disparity in melanoma-specific survival among Hispanic individuals in recent years(3). Addressing this disparity may therefore require prioritizing factors beyond primary prevention strategies.