Knowledge levels of adults applying to primary healthcare organizations about skin cancer and their sun protection conditions

Aim: This study is aimed at determining knowledge levels of adults who apply to primary healthcare organizations about skin cancer and their conditions of protection from sunlight. Methods: This study is done by using cross sectional descriptive design and carried out with adults who apply to four certain ASMs (Family Health Centres) with various reasons between February-September 2020. The survey consists of 51 items in total: 12 items about socio demographic info and physical structure, 14 items for the use of sun protection cream and protection from sunlight and 25 items of Skin Cancer and Sun Knowledge Scale. Results: 815 volunteers took part in this study. 458 (%54.9) participants were female while 377(%45.1) of them were male. Median for the age was 27 (min.:18- max.:65). 83 (%26) out of 319 (%38.2) individuals who use sun protection cream were using sunscreen regularly in every season. 119 (%23.1) of them did not use any protection because of high prices. 738 (%88.4) participants preferred to stay in shadows as a precaution with an average rate of 3.32 ± 1.33. The median of Skin Cancer and Sun Knowledge Scale was determined 14 (min.:3- max.:23). A negative correlation was found between age and scale points (r=-0.185; p<0.001). Participants who were graduates of university/college and who had a high income got higher scale points in their own categories (p<0.001). 258 (%56.3) of females and 61 (%16.2) of males were using sun protection cream (p<0.001). Also, the rate of using sun protection cream among participants who were graduates of university/college and who had a high income was higher (p<0.001 and p<0.001). 19 (%46.3) of the participants without physical risk factor of getting skin cancer were using 50 and 50+ sun protection. Conclusion: Society, especially elderly and people with low education, needs to get information about harmful effects of the sun, protection from it and skin cancer. Moreover, participants who use sun protection cream had inadequate knowledge about the usage. Keywords: Skin cancer, Sun protection, Family Medicine