Abstract
There has been a significant increase in the cases of skin cancer throughout the world in the last few decades. Although the mortality rate of skin cancer is relatively low, its impact on other health aspects is high and the treatment of undesired aesthetic damage is costly. According to disability-adjusted life year rates (DALY), 1.5 million days are estimated to be lost from people’s lives every year worldwide due to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The purpose of this study was to raise sun health awareness levels among health services vocational school students. A total of 414 students were included in the analysis. A questionnaire form was used to evaluate knowledge, attitudes and behaviours among the survey sample. The average level of knowledge concerning the effects of the sun was found to be 8.64 ± 2.5 out of 15 points. All socio-demographic factors were analysed, but the only significant variables found were age and the possible presence of skin cancer within the immediate family (p < 0.05).
Highlights
Human exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation has important public health implications [1,2].People are exposed to large quantities of UV radiation in part due to the thinning of the stratospheric ozone layer, and through several other sources, such as: living and travelling in sunny climates, excessive sunbathing and sun bed use, outdoor sports, and the usage of appliances and devices that emit UV radiation in domestic and industrial settings [3,4,5]
Studies have found that 65–90% of the cases of melanoma skin cancer are caused by UV rays and it has been shown that in the USA one in five people develop skin cancer at some point in their lives [7,8,9]
One hundred and sixty four (164, 39.6%) said they had been sunburnt at some point in their lives and 19 (4.5%) were aware of someone in their family who had or who currently has skin cancer
Summary
Human exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation has important public health implications [1,2].People are exposed to large quantities of UV radiation in part due to the thinning of the stratospheric ozone layer, and through several other sources, such as: living and travelling in sunny climates, excessive sunbathing and sun bed use, outdoor sports, and the usage of appliances and devices that emit UV radiation in domestic and industrial settings [3,4,5]. Worldwide some 2–3 million cases of non-melanoma skin cancer and 132,000 cases of malignant melanoma skin cancer are diagnosed every year. Studies have found that 65–90% of the cases of melanoma skin cancer are caused by UV rays and it has been shown that in the USA one in five people develop skin cancer at some point in their lives [7,8,9]. The mortality rate of skin cancer is relatively low, its impact on other health aspects is high and the treatment of undesired aesthetic damage is costly. In terms of disability-adjusted life year rates (DALY), 1.5 million days are thought to be lost worldwide due to UV radiation. One in three cancer cases are diagnosed as skin cancer [10]. According to 2011 epidemiology statistics from the cancer section of the Turkish
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