Sun Exposure in Pediatric Age: Perspective of Caregivers.

Mafalda Salvado,Ivan Miguel Pires,Ana Fraga,Nádia Mendes Silva,Diogo Luís Marques,Carmo Coelho Gonçalves

doi:10.3390/children8111019

Abstract

Excessive sun exposure during childhood increases the risk of skin cancer. This study characterized the knowledge and attitudes of caregivers regarding exposure and sun protection of children and adolescents. One hundred and ninety-eight caregivers (38.5 ± 8.0 years) who resorted to the consultations of a Pediatrics Service or a Family Health Unit answered a questionnaire. The age of children/adolescents was 6.5 ± 5.1 years. On average, caregivers presented a high level of knowledge regarding exposure and sun protection. One hundred and twenty-six caregivers indicated that they obtained more information about sun protection on social communication, and 66% considered the information provided by healthcare professionals to be enough. One-hundred and fifteen caregivers reported that the child/adolescent was more exposed to the sun after 4 a.m., and 88% reported applying sunscreen on the beach/pool and outdoor activities. Fifty-seven percent of caregivers renewed sunscreen application on the child/adolescent every 2 h, and 94% applied a sun protection factor ≥ 50 in the child/adolescent. There was a significant association (p < 0.001) between education level and caregivers’ self-knowledge about sun protection (the higher the education, the higher the knowledge), and between the knowledge of the hour of sun exposure avoidance and the time when the child/adolescent was more exposed to the sun. This study shows that caregivers are highly knowledgeable about exposure and sun protection in children/adolescents, and their attitudes follow the general recommendations.

Highlights

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is part of the electromagnetic spectrum emitted by the sun [1]
On average, caregivers presented high knowledge regarding exposure and sun protection in children and adolescents, which is in line with the results reported in previous studies conducted in European countries [23,24,25,26,27]
Our results demonstrated that most caregivers’ attitudes followed the national and international guidelines about skin cancer prevention. These results are globally optimistic since previous research found that caregivers with a high level of sun protection behavior are less likely to report being sunburnt, and their children are more likely to have a high level of sun protection behavior and sunscreen vigilance [28]

Summary

Introduction

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is part of the electromagnetic spectrum emitted by the sun [1]. Small amounts of UV radiation are essential for vitamin D production, but excessive exposure can result in acute and chronic effects on the skin, eyes, and immune system [1,3,4]. Excessive exposure to UV radiation during the first decades of life is related to skin photoaging and the development of skin cancer [1,2,5,6]. Several studies have revealed an association between childhood sunburn and the subsequent risk of melanoma [1,2,5,6,7,8]. Exposure to intermittent but intense UV radiation, especially in childhood, is vital in the pathogenesis of melanoma and basal cell carcinoma. Cumulative exposure is more important for the development of squamous cell carcinoma [2,9]

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