Development and validation of an instrument to assess the knowledge of general practitioners and pediatricians about photoprotection and solar radiation

Abstract

BackgroundThe knowledge of general practitioners about photoprotection is unknown.ObjectivesTo develop and validate an instrument to evaluate the knowledge of general practitioners and pediatricians about photoprotection, gauging the knowledge of these professionals.MethodsThe study followed the steps: (1) Literature identification and item elaboration related to the theme; (2) Content validation; (3) Apparent validation; (4) Construct validation: internal consistency analysis and discriminatory analysis; (5) Reliability analysis. In Step 4, the instrument was applied to 217 general practitioners and pediatricians who worked in the host city of the study; the scores were compared with dermatologists scores.ResultsThe final instrument had 41 items and showed satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.780), satisfactory reproducibility and good test–retest reliability (good-to-excellent kappa statistic in more than 60% of items). The discriminatory analysis registered a mean score of 54.1 points for dermatologists and 31.1 points for generalists and pediatricians, from a total of 82 possible points, representing a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001). Generalists and pediatricians demonstrated an understanding of the relationship between excessive sun exposure and skin cancer, but they revealed lack of technical information necessary for their professional practice.Study limitationsThe instrument evaluates only knowledge, without evaluating the conduct of the participants.ConclusionThe results show that the instrument has good internal consistency and good reproducibility. It could be useful in the identification of general practitioners and pediatricians knowledge gaps on the subject, for the subsequent development of training and educational strategies.

Knowledge and the behavioral patterns of photoprotection among Koreans with skin disease

“…[28][29][30] Additionally, males scored lower levels of photoprotection knowledge and reported using sunscreen less compared to females, which may be related to the higher incidence of skin cancer in males. 3,5 In contrast, female participants were more likely to use all types of photoprotective measures, including wearing hats and long-sleeved clothes, using parasols, and applying sunscreen.…”

“…Skin cancers, actinic keratosis, hyperpigmentation, and hypopigmentation are known to be significantly related to exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. [1][2][3][4] In particular, UV radiation is known to cause genetic mutations related to tumor development in conditions such as actinic keratosis and skin cancer. 3,5 Studies have shown that these diseases are more prevalent in outdoor workers, occur more frequently in whites, and are more common in the face, an area of high exposure to sunlight.…”

“…[1][2][3][4] In particular, UV radiation is known to cause genetic mutations related to tumor development in conditions such as actinic keratosis and skin cancer. 3,5 Studies have shown that these diseases are more prevalent in outdoor workers, occur more frequently in whites, and are more common in the face, an area of high exposure to sunlight. 6,7 In addition, hyperpigmentary disorders, such as melasma, freckles, and lentigines, are mainly attributed to sun exposure.…”

“…This categorization was based on diseases expected to be most significantly affected by UV radiation (skin cancer, hyperpigmentary skin disorders, and hypopigmentary skin disorders), including those with insufficient evidence of association with UV radiation (other and unspecified skin diseases). [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]21 Patients who could not understand or answer the questionnaire due to their education level were excluded.…”

“…Various population surveys of awareness and practices of photoprotection have been conducted mainly in Western countries 3,14–18 . In the past, the focus of education on photoprotection was relatively less on ethnic groups with darker skin, such as Koreans, due to their lower incidence of skin cancer compared with Caucasians 19,20 .…”