Abstract

PEDRO, Rita Meireles et al. Assessment of knowledge about solar exposure. Rev Port Med Geral Fam [online]. 2020, vol.36, n.3, pp.233-240. ISSN 2182-5173.  https://doi.org/10.32385/rpmgf.v36i3.12583.

Objectives: To characterize the patient’s knowledge about the care associated with sun exposure, risk factors, and alarm signs for cutaneous neoplasia. To study the association between the age, sex, education, phototype, and history of cutaneous neoplasia (personal or in close contacts) and the level of the patient’s knowledge. Methods: Cross-sectional study. From April to May of 2018, self-administered questionnaires, composed of sociodemographic data, theoretical questions about sun exposure and its risks, risk factors, and alarm signals for cutaneous neoplasia, were delivered to patients aged 18 years and over who attended the scheduled consultation in six Family Health Units. A statistical analysis of the variables was performed. It was used the statistical software IBM SPSS Statistics®, assuming a level of significance of 5%. Results: A total of 435 individuals participated, of whom 29 did not complete the questionnaire, resulting in a final sample of 406 individuals. Participants had a mean age of 47±17.1 years (minimum: 18, maximum: 89 years) and 67% were female. The mean score on the questionnaire was 9.3±2.06 points (with the maximum score being 13 points). The highest scores corresponded to participants with 35-55 years of age, a higher level of education, and phototype 3. The older participants and those with lower levels of education were associated with a low to intermediate score on the questionnaire. Participants that have contacts with a skin cancer diagnosis and those with lighter skin scored higher. However, after adjusting for potential confounders, only the level of education and the skin type maintained the association. Conclusions: There is a satisfactory level of knowledge about sun exposure, although there are important gaps regarding the knowledge of forms of protection, factors that increase the risk of skin cancer and alarm signs. These results corroborate the pertinence of the study, evidencing the relevance for the implementation of health education interventions on the topic, considering its predicted impact on the incidence and prevalence of cutaneous neoplasia. Moving forward, the relevance of conducting research on population behaviors regarding exposure and sun protection is also highlighted.

Keywords : Cutaneous neoplasia; Prevention; Questionnaire; Risk factors.

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