UK Postal Delivery Workers’ Occupational Sun Safety: Using Behavior Change Theories to Identify Intervention Pathways

Jonathan Houdmont, Raymond Randall, Alistair Cheyne, Shaun Davis, Hannah Evans and Joanne Faichney
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Jonathan Houdmont: Centre for Organizational Health and Development, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, B Floor, Yang Fujia Building, Jubilee Campus, Wollaton Road, Nottingham NG8 1BB, UK
Raymond Randall: Management School, University of Sheffield and Loughborough University, Sheffield, S10 1FL, UK
Alistair Cheyne: ESSCA School of Management and School of Business and Economics, Loughborough University, Loughborough, LE11 3TU, UK
Shaun Davis: Royal Mail Group, Slough, SL3 8AQ, UK
Hannah Evans: Management School, University of Sheffield and Loughborough University, Sheffield, S10 1FL, UK
Joanne Faichney: Centre for Organizational Health and Development, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, B Floor, Yang Fujia Building, Jubilee Campus, Wollaton Road, Nottingham NG8 1BB, UK

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 19, 1-17

Abstract: Postal delivery workers have substantial sun exposure. In the United Kingdom (UK) a high proportion of workers possesses a sun sensitive skin type. This population is at elevated risk for skin cancer, yet uptake of sun safety practices is low. Studies are needed to identify the underlying factors that contribute to the uptake of occupational sun safety practices that may be targeted during behavior change interventions. This study integrated the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the Transtheoretical Model’s stages of change (SoC) as guiding frameworks to identify underlying beliefs that influence UK postal delivery workers’ uptake of occupational sun safety practices. Thirty-four workers participated in semi-structured interviews that used the SoC to establish current receptiveness to and adoption of two sun safety practices (using sunscreen of at least sun protection factor (SPF) 30 on exposed skin and wearing a wide-brimmed hat when working outdoors in the summer). Beliefs underlying current practices were elicited in accordance with the TPB and stratified by the SoC. For sunscreen use and wearing a wide-brimmed hat, 64% and 3% of participants were in the action or maintenance SoC, respectively. Behavioral and control beliefs differed by SoC, with those in the earlier stages more likely than those in the latter stages to report negative attitudes to, and difficulty enacting, sun safety practices. Normative beliefs concerning the views of colleagues and employers towards sunscreen were relatively consistent across the SoC. This study highlights the need for tailored and targeted behavior change interventions. The SoC-stratified accounts of the influence of TPB components on behavior provide a basis for bespoke interventions that reflect inter-individual and inter-practice differences in their working mechanisms.

Keywords: postal delivery workers; Theory of Planned Behavior; Transtheoretical Model; stage of change; sun safety; solar radiation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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