Solar Exposure, Photoprotection and SelfExamination of the Skin in Araxá, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract

Objectives: Skin cancer is the most common global malignancy and effective prevention is photoprotection. The aim of this study was to evaluate aspects related to sun exposure, photoprotection and self-examination of the skin in the population of a city in the interior of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Methods: Data collection was done through an online form (Google Docs Forms) and involved 389 participants in 2017. Results: As for the time of daily sun exposure, 80.7% of the interviewees have exposure of up to two hours a day, however the time of greatest exposure is between 10 and 16 hours (57.6%). The daily use of sunscreen is performed by only 20.7% of the volunteers. Among those who apply the sunscreen, only 6.2% use the product following the manufacturer's recommendations for reapplication. The use of hats, caps and other measures of physical protection is only frequent in 13.9% of the sample. When asked about skin self-examination information, 63.8% stated that they did not know about this exam and only 8% did it frequently. Conclusion: In view of the results obtained in the present study, it is possible to conclude that due to the habits of sun exposure, associated with low adhesion to photoprotection and self-examination, the population is at risk for the development of skin cancer and requires more effective preventive actions.