MIAMI, Aug. 21 -- White Hispanic teenagers are less conscious of skin cancer risks than are non-Hispanic whites, according to a survey of high school students here.
White Hispanic students were significantly more likely to tan deeply (P=0.04) but significantly less likely to know about skin self-examination (P<0.01) than non-Hispanic whites, reported Robert S. Kirsner, M.D., Ph.D., of the University of Miami, and colleagues, in the August issue of Archives of Dermatology.
White Hispanic teens also were less likely to wear sun-protective clothing and use recommended sunscreens than non-Hispanic whites, and were more likely to use have used a tanning bed within the past year.
The authors noted that their own research has indicated an increasing risk of melanoma associated with ultraviolet light exposure in darker-skinned individuals, including Hispanics.
