Attitudes towards sun protection and skin cancer among faculty members and students of medicine and of arts/sciences at a Turkish university

INTRODUCTION: Public knowledge about and attitude towards sun protection practices are important factors in attempts to avoid skin cancer and other harmful effects of sun exposure. Such are the awareness levels of the students of medicine or their educators as they deliver the information to the general public and shape public health policies. The aim of this study was to reveal the knowledge and attitudes of the faculty members and students of medicine and of arts/sciences at a Turkish university towards the effects of sun exposure and protection. METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted by administering a 37-item questionnaire to students and faculty members in the School of Arts/Sciences, School of Medicine, and Vocational School of Medical Sciences at Hitit University. The questions were formulated to evaluate the participants' level of knowledge regarding the effects of sun exposure and protection, the source of their knowledge about these subjects, and their behaviors related to environmental factors. Responses were subjected to statistical analyses with appropriate tools and methods. RESULTS: The study included a total of 217 participants with an average age of 26.0 +- 9.2 years: 145 (66.8%) students and 72 (33.2%) faculty members. Of these, 118 (55.1%) were female and 151 (69.6%) were in medical fields. A great majority of the participants (n=204, 94%) had used sunscreens, and sunscreens with SPF>30 were the most commonly used ones (%44). Brand (45.2%) and high SPF (46.2%) were the most frequently considered aspects when buying sunscreens. A comparison of subgroups of participants based on gender, position, and area of study indicated some differences in knowledge and practices related to sun exposure and sun protection. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Although students and faculty members of medical areas had generally higher level of knowledge about the issues surrounding sun exposure and protection in comparison with those from non-medical backgrounds, there is still a significant knowledge deficit about the severity of associated risks and some room for improvement even among the students and faculty members of medical schools. The methods and media channels that would be used to increase public awareness should be adapted according to the demographic characteristics of target audiences. Further studies with a more comprehensive and well-managed data collection tools and a larger sample from more diverse set of institutions are warranted to determine the overall picture in the target population of this study.