Sun protection behaviors, healthcare access, and smoking among melanoma survivors

Purpose: Based on current clinical practice guidelines, melanoma survivors should be advised on the need for sun protection and regular healthcare, as well as smoking cessation, but differences from adults without cancer history are unclear. Methods: We pooled data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2003-2006, 2009-2018), matching 249 melanoma survivors with 498 adults without a cancer history. Adjusted prevalence odds ratios (aPOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Results: One-third of melanoma survivors used multiple sun protection methods, slightly more than adults without cancer. Both groups had < 50% overall sun protection use with long sleeves being the least used. Melanoma survivors who were male (aPOR = 2.91; CI = 1.05-8.06) or had lower education (aPOR = 4.12; CI = 1.65-10.29) were more likely to be current smokers. Older survivors (aPOR = 1.07; CI = 1.03-1.11) were more likely to have health insurance. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the relatively low use of sun protective practices for melanoma survivors and suggest the need for better counseling on sun protection and smoking cessation, especially for lower education levels and males. Implications for Cancer Survivors: These findings underscore the importance of enhancing counseling services for sun protection among melanoma survivors and prioritizing smoking cessation support, especially for males and individuals with lower education levels among this population.