Sociocultural Construction of Skin Cancer Risk Perception: Correlates and Recommendations for Community-Based Prevention Programmes

7 Pages Posted: 27 Sep 2017

See all articles by Brian P. Mangum

Brian P. Mangum

Fiji National University (FNU); College of Micronesia - Federated States of Micronesia; Xavier University - School of Medicine

William Buckley

Departmento di Salud Publico di Aruba

Paul Dacanay

College of Micronesia FSM

Date Written: December 2015

Abstract

Skin cancer is a serious public health threat, particularly among Latino farm workers for whom the incidence of skin cancer is rising. Public health interventions for such populations can be based upon a social science definition of risk that is founded upon sound epidemiological evidence. Such a definition comes from understanding how socioeconomic status predisposes individuals to excessive risk exposure, such as ultraviolet radiation by Latino farm workers. Interventions that begin from this understanding must be based on culturally-appropriate measures utilizing community members as health workers that are more readily accepted. Public health practitioners must also become better advocates for policy changes that will make the use of protective clothing akin to the use of protective measures in other occupational groups.

Keywords: skin cancer, public health, risk perception, risk assessment, social epidemiology, medical anthropology, prevention, community-based prevention, intervention programmes, structural violence

Suggested Citation

Mangum, Brian P. and Buckley, William and Dacanay, Paul, Sociocultural Construction of Skin Cancer Risk Perception: Correlates and Recommendations for Community-Based Prevention Programmes (December 2015). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3043052 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3043052

Brian P. Mangum (Contact Author)

Fiji National University (FNU) ( email )

P.O.Box 7222
Fiji

College of Micronesia - Federated States of Micronesia ( email )

PO Box 159
Kolonia, Pohnpei, 96941
Micronesia

Xavier University - School of Medicine ( email )

NY
United States

William Buckley

Departmento di Salud Publico di Aruba ( email )

Aruba

Paul Dacanay

College of Micronesia FSM ( email )

PO Box 159
Kolonia, Pohnpei, 96941
Micronesia

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