Evaluation of the sun protection behaviours of children in early adolescence who are studying in Gaziantep city centre

This descriptive study was planned to evaluate the sun protection behaviours of children in early adolescence who were studying in the city centre of Gaziantep. After necessary permissions were obtained, the research data were collected with the Child and Family Information Form developed by the researcher, Sun Protection Behaviour (SPBS), Decisional Balance for Sun Protection (DBSP), and Sun Protection Self-Efficacy (PDSQ) scales between September 2018 and January 2019. The sample of the study consisted of 1154 students who were randomly selected from 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grade students from 24 schools which were identified by simple random sampling method from secondary schools in Gaziantep city centre among the schools from which permission was taken to conduct the study and also written consents were taken from the parents of the students for participation in the study. SPSS 21 program was used to evaluate the data. It was found that 60.9% of the children who participated in the study were girls and the mean age was 11.33 ± 1.10 years. Statistically significant association was found between SPBS total score average and gender, age, grade, parental education level, number of children in the family, economic level of the family, use of vehicles between home and school, swimming in the sea-stream and time spent outside between 10 and 16 o'clock (p<0.05). Statistically significant association was found between DBSP perception of benefit sub-dimension and gender, age, grade and swimming in the sea-stream in summer (p<0.05). Statistically significant association was found between DBSP perception of harm sub-dimension and age, grade, having hazel eyes, having type 3 skin and time spent outside between 11 and 13 o'clock (p<0.05). Statistically significant association was found between PDSQ total score average and gender, age, grade, economic level of the family, having type 3 skin, use of vehicles between home and school and swimming in the sea-stream (p<0.05). According to SPBS, DBSP and PDSQ score averages, it was found that males, older students, those with low parental education level and those who spent too much time outside between 10 and 16 o'clock were under risk, while it was found that the colour of hair and skin were not effective.