Skin Cancer Risk Reduction Behaviors Among American Indian and Non-Hispanic White Persons in Rural New Mexico

From 2008 to 2012, age-adjusted incidence rates of skin cancer for New Mexican non-Hispanic white males and females were 37.11 and 21.72, respectively.¹ The same rates for New Mexican American Indian males and females were 2.51 and 3.04, respectively. Despite this stark difference in incidence, half of all American Indian and Alaskan Native persons with skin cancer will die from the disease compared with less than one-sixth for all races combined.² This study sought to determine what sun-protective behaviors were used among rural New Mexican American Indian individuals, a relatively understudied population, and non-Hispanic white individuals, a relatively well-studied population.