Effect of Educational Program-Based Protection Motivation Theory on Preventive Behaviors of Skin Cancer Among Farmers in Kashan

Background: Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers and excessive Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is the most important environmental risk factor for this cancer. Protective behaviors against sunlight are the most important measures in preventing the disease. Objectives: The present study aimed to determine the effect of educational program based on the protection motivation theory on preventive behaviors of skin cancer among the farmers in Kashan city. Methods: This interventional study was conducted on 120 rural farmers in Kashan in 2018. The participants were selected via simple random sampling and divided into 2 groups such as intervention (n = 60) and control (n = 60). Both of 2 groups completed a questionnaire, which was consisted of items developed based on the protection motivation theory, in before and 2 months after the intervention. Participants in the intervention group were trained through lectures, questions and answers, posters, pamphlets, and booklets. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS version 20 using independent t-test, chi-square test, and covariance analysis. Results: There was no significant difference between the intervention and control groups in terms of the mean scores of all the variables (P > 0.05) before the training intervention and after implementing the educational program, a significant difference was observed in all the constructs of the protection motivation theory in the intervention group, as compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The results of this study confirmed the effectiveness of intervention based on the protection motivation theory in changing perceptions and behaviors related to skin cancer prevention; thus, this theory can be considered as a basis for the educational program.