Pediatricians and Family Physicians Knowledge and Awareness on Sun Protection

NCT06720402 | Active Not Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 09.2024.255
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 230
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Sunlight has very important effects on the body. In addition to its positive effects such as regulation of circadian rhythm, synthesis of vitamin D and regulation of mood, it also has negative effects on the skin such as sunburn, hyperpigmentation, photoaging and skin cancer formation. These negative effects are known to be caused by ultraviolet (UV) (10 to 400 nm) rays of sunlight. It is known that skin cancers such as melanoma, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma may develop in adults as a result of excessive exposure to UV rays. It has been shown that the development of skin cancer is rare in childhood. Although skin cancers are not common in the pediatric age group, exposure to UV rays is higher than in adults. It is known that this cumulative exposure that develops over time may lead to the development of skin cancer in later ages. Therefore, it is argued that effective protection from UV rays is important in the pediatric age group. Guidelines emphasize the importance of preventive counseling in early childhood for reasons such as high sun exposure in the pediatric age group, increase in cumulative exposure with advancing age, prevention of the known adverse effects of sun rays with simple precautions, application of sun protection trainings given to the child for the rest of his/her life and thus decreasing the incidence of skin cancers. The World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics emphasize the following 5 basic points about reducing UV exposure in early childhood:

• Avoid going outside between 10.00-15.00 when the sun is at its peak,
• Usage of broad spectrum sunscreen children over 6 months,
• Using a hat, clothing that fully protects the body, sunglasses, umbrellas when going outside,
• When spending time outdoors, spend more time in shaded areas,
• Avoidance of indoor tanning. In this sense, it is of critical importance that all physicians have the necessary knowledge and equipment to provide preventive counseling on the negative effects of sunlight on the skin and cancer development. In this study, it is aimed to investigate the knowledge levels of Pediatricians and Family Physicians about sun protection and to increase their knowledge and awareness levels about sun protection in order to provide preventive counseling for the pediatric age group and their families.

Conditions

Sun Protection; Skin Burn; Sunburn

Keywords

sun protection; children; pediatrician; family physician; preventative counseling

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Sun protection methods

  A presentation consisting of WHO and AAP recommendations will be given and to measure the increase in knowledge and awareness of healthcare professionals, the Skin Cancer and Sun Knowledge scale will be measured at baseline, at the end of the presentation and after 3 months. An increase in the total score indicates an increase in knowledge and awareness.

  Baseline and up to 3rd months.

Study Arms (2)

Pediatricians

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

The group which consist of pediatricians.

Behavioral: Sun protection knowledge

Family physicians

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

The group which consist of family physicians.

Behavioral: Sun protection knowledge

Interventions

Sun protection knowledge BEHAVIORAL

To increase knowledge and awareness about sun protection methods, a presentation will be implented to pediatricians and family physicians.

Family physicians; Pediatricians

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 24 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Pediatrics residents and specialists
• Family medicine residents and specialists
• Family physicians working at family medicine centers

You may not qualify if:

• Medical students
• Physicians working at other fields
• Attendants who have skin cancer history at him/herself and in family

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Marmara University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Marmara University Faculty of Medicine

Istanbul, 34000, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

Related Publications (4)

• Day AK, Wilson C, Roberts RM, Hutchinson AD. The Skin Cancer and Sun Knowledge (SCSK) Scale: Validity, Reliability, and Relationship to Sun-Related Behaviors Among Young Western Adults. Health Educ Behav. 2014 Aug;41(4):440-8. doi: 10.1177/1090198114529129. Epub 2014 Apr 10.

  PMID: 24722215 RESULT

• Green AC, Wallingford SC, McBride P. Childhood exposure to ultraviolet radiation and harmful skin effects: epidemiological evidence. Prog Biophys Mol Biol. 2011 Dec;107(3):349-55. doi: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2011.08.010. Epub 2011 Sep 3.

  PMID: 21907230 RESULT

• Araujo FM, Carmo JAD, Cunha LD, Martins IML, Gon ADS, Caldeira AP. Development and validation of an instrument to assess the knowledge of general practitioners and pediatricians about photoprotection and solar radiation. An Bras Dermatol. 2019 Sep-Oct;94(5):532-541. doi: 10.1016/j.abd.2019.09.011. Epub 2019 Sep 30.

  PMID: 31777353 RESULT

• Balk SJ. Sun Protection. Pediatr Rev. 2023 Apr 1;44(4):236-239. doi: 10.1542/pir.2022-005545. No abstract available.

  PMID: 37002351 RESULT

Related Links

• EPA Recommendations
• American Academy of Dermatology Recommendations
• FDA Sunscreen Recommendations
• Related Info

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Paresthesia; Sunburn

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Somatosensory Disorders; Sensation Disorders; Neurologic Manifestations; Nervous System Diseases; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Photosensitivity Disorders; Skin Diseases; Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases; Burns; Wounds and Injuries

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NON RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 17, 2024
• First Posted: December 6, 2024
• Study Start: May 20, 2024
• Primary Completion: December 31, 2024
• Study Completion: March 1, 2025
• Last Updated: December 6, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-05

Locations

TU (1)