en Health Health Original Research Original Research <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;Background: </strong>Skin cancer is a serious public health problem in the world. Its prevalence in many countries has been increased in recent years. This study aimed to assess the effects of a theory-based educational intervention to promote skin cancer preventive behaviors (SCPBs) among rural farmers in Chalderan County, Iran.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>&nbsp; Methods:</strong> This was a quasi-randomized controlled field trial study conducted on 238 rural farmers. The data were collected by a questionnaire containing the constructs of the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) as well as the items of SCPBs. The differences between the groups before and 3 months after the intervention were determined by independent t-test, paired t-test, and chi-square applying SPSS software.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>&nbsp; Results:</strong> Before the intervention, no significant difference was found in the scores of the PMT constructs between the two groups (p>0.05). However, significant differences were found between the scores of all the variables, as well as SCPBs, in the two groups after the intervention (p<0.05).</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>&nbsp; Conclusion: </strong>The PMT was found to be an appropriate framework for designing educational interventions aiming at promoting SCPBs among rural farmers. It was concluded that designing an educational program with a focus on promoting perceived susceptibility increased the level of performing SCPBs among the rural farmers.</p> <p></p> Skin cancer, Preventive medicine, Motivation, Education. 1052 1059 http://mjiri.iums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1-1085&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Towhid Babazadeh towhid.babazadeh@gmail.com 200319475328460025815 200319475328460025815 No Student Research Committee, Faculty of Health, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. Tabriz, Iran. Aziz Kamran a.kamran@arums.ac.ir 200319475328460025816 200319475328460025816 No Department of public health, School of Khalkhal Medical Sciences, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran. Abdollah Dargahi a.dargahi29@yahoo.com 200319475328460025817 200319475328460025817 No School of health, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran. Fatemeh Moradi moradi20294@yahoo.com 200319475328460025818 200319475328460025818 No Department of Municipal Health in Tehran, Tehran Municipality, Tehran, Iran. Fariba Shariat shariat.f123@gmail.com 200319475328460025819 200319475328460025819 No Department of Municipal Health in Tehran, Tehran Municipality, Tehran, Iran. Hamed Rezakhani Moghaddam h.rezakhani@arums.ac.ir 200319475328460025820 200319475328460025820 Yes Department of Health Education and Health Promotion, School of health, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.