Abstract
The objective of this study was to compare the accuracy of self-reported skin cancer risk outcome measures proposed as standards
by prevention experts to aggregated estimates of behavior from weekly diaries. Weekly electronic diaries of ultraviolet radiation
(UVR) behaviors, initially validated by comparison with daily electronic diaries, were used to assess the accuracy of commonly
used end-of-summer self-reported measures among 250 adults. Results revealed low biases, and good correspondence between simple
open-ended self-reported estimates of days outside, hours outside, sunbathing days and hours, and days outside when not protected
by either sunscreen, long-sleeved shirts, hats, or shade. Rating scale measures commonly used in the current literature and
those recently recommended as standards by a workshop of experts showed evidence of being non-interval and lacking precision
for more frequent behavior (e.g., >1 h sun exposure daily). These data indicated that open-ended frequency self-reports of
skin cancer risk behaviors that follow procedures designed to increase accuracy were reliable over a summer-long period.
by prevention experts to aggregated estimates of behavior from weekly diaries. Weekly electronic diaries of ultraviolet radiation
(UVR) behaviors, initially validated by comparison with daily electronic diaries, were used to assess the accuracy of commonly
used end-of-summer self-reported measures among 250 adults. Results revealed low biases, and good correspondence between simple
open-ended self-reported estimates of days outside, hours outside, sunbathing days and hours, and days outside when not protected
by either sunscreen, long-sleeved shirts, hats, or shade. Rating scale measures commonly used in the current literature and
those recently recommended as standards by a workshop of experts showed evidence of being non-interval and lacking precision
for more frequent behavior (e.g., >1 h sun exposure daily). These data indicated that open-ended frequency self-reports of
skin cancer risk behaviors that follow procedures designed to increase accuracy were reliable over a summer-long period.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-13
- DOI 10.1007/s11121-012-0278-1
- Authors
- Joel Hillhouse, Department of Community and Behavioral Health, East Tennessee State University, Box 70,674, Johnson City, TN 37601, USA
- Robert Turrisi, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- James Jaccard, Florida International University, Florida, MI, USA
- June Robinson, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
- Journal Prevention Science
- Online ISSN 1573-6695
- Print ISSN 1389-4986