Evaluation of sun-protective behaviors and preventive medicine practices of family physicians for skin cancer

Abstract

Objective: Family physicians play an important role in preventive medicine practices for skin cancer. This study aims to evaluate family physicians sun-protection behaviors and preventive medicine practices for skin cancer.

Methods: We conducted this survey with 91 family physicians between November 2018 and February 2019 in Tokat. They were asked to fill the questionnaire that includes questions about sun-protective behaviors and preventive medicine practices for skin cancer.

Results: Ninety one family physicians, 32 (35.2%) females and 59 (64.8%) males, participated in the study. The mean age of the participants was 40.31±8.77 years, and the mean duration of professional experience was 15.02±8.33 years. Of 91 family practitioners, 74.7% had fair skin, and 45.1% had a history of sunburn at least once. The rate of regular sunscreen cream use was 15.4%. The most preferred methods for sun protection were sunscreen cream (68.1%), sunglasses (60.4%), and avoidance of intense sunlight (57.1%). The female physicians had a significantly higher rate of sunscreen cream use than that of male physicians (p=0.014), but there was no significant relationship between sunscreen cream use and marital status, skin color, and sunburn history (p>0.05). Female physicians used sunscreen cream primarily for cosmetic reasons, and male physicians for protection of sunburn. For 11% of the participants, the primary reason was to reduce the risk of getting skin cancer. The rate of physicians who follow their own nevus for skin cancer was 82.4% and, there was no significant relationship between the family history of skin cancer and nevus follow-up (p>0.05). Of the physicians, 65.9% (n=60) stated that they had recommended their patients to use sunscreen cream. However, the rate of sunscreen cream recommendation to the patients with skin cancer risk factors was pretty low. The physicians visited for sunscreen cream recommendation constituted 59.3% (n=54) of the participants. Those who used sunscreen cream had significantly higher rates to follow their own nevus and to advise sunscreen cream use to their patients than those who did not (p=0.921; p=0.015, respectively).

Conclusion: The family physicians had an insufficient level of knowledge about the application of sun protection methods and preventive medicine practices for skin cancer. Further studies might be useful to improve the level of knowledge regarding sun protection, skin cancer protection and early diagnosis of skin cancer.