Sun Protection Counseling by Pediatricians

Skin Cancer Prevention Counseling and Clinical Practices of Pediatricians

“…Wearing tightly woven protective clothing and wide‐brimmed hats, seeking shade, and avoiding midday sun exposure are effective strategies for reducing sun exposure. Yet in our sample, these practices were recommended by pediatricians far less frequently than was sunscreen, and this finding is also consistent with other studies (16,17). Overall the mean score for sun protection recommendations (multiple preventive behaviors combined) in our study indicates that there is room for improvement with intervention.…”

“…In our sample, sunscreen was the most frequently recommended strategy to reduce sun exposure. This finding is consistent with other surveys of pediatricians' practices (16,17). Community surveys also show that sunscreen use is the most popular sun protective practice among children and their parents (15).…”

“…The findings of this study and others (16) suggest that further study of theoretical (e.g., self‐efficacy, outcome expectations, normative influences, barriers, and values) and experiential (e.g., personal practices and training) variables is needed. Perceived barriers, perceived relevance, and personal sun protection practices were significant predictors of sun protection recommendations in this study, and perceived barriers and personal sun protection practices were significant predictors of counseling and clinical practices.…”

Personal and Clinical Skin Cancer Prevention Practices of US Women Physicians

“…40 There is little relevant literature on skin cancer prevention practices of obstetriciangynecologists; a few studies have reported that many pediatricians counseled their patients on safe sun exposure practices despite lack of formal training on counseling. 15,17 Although our bivariate analysis found a high prevalence of frequent counseling among pediatricians, on par with that of internists and family medicine practitioners, perhaps the lower odds of ever counseling patients about skin cancer that we found among pediatricians in our multivariate analysis reflect the demands of prevention and treatment for children and adolescents, which are perceived as being more pressing than prevention of skin cancer, a disease with a long latency period. 41 Nonetheless, most sun exposure occurs before the age of 18 years.…”

Differences in perceived importance and personal use of sun protection among primary care physicians are reflected in their clinical practice

“…27 A high percentage of pediatricians frequently use sunscreen 14,25 and 77% of pediatricians believe that they have a professional responsibility to counsel parents and children about sun protection. 16 Furthermore, among PCPs in our study, pediatricians placed the highest relative value of sun protection as a preventive medicine issue. This may relate to the fact that issues such as smoking cessation and cholesterol control are less pressing at this age range.…”