Sun Protection Habits and Attitudes Among Healthcare Personnel in a Mediterranean Population.

Health professionals are key agents in healthcare promotion. In the field of skin cancer, they play a crucial role in the development of prevention strategies in the community. This paper aims to describe the sun exposure attitudes and habits of public healthcare professionals in the western Costa del Sol (Spain). A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in the Costa del Sol healthcare district to analyse sun exposure and protection practices and habits, and attitudes to tanning and sun protection. The respondents, all healthcare personnel in various professional categories and workplace situations, were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire. Six hundred forty-three workers in the Costa del Sol healthcare district took part in the study. Of these participants, 450 were healthcare professionals. Of the 450 health professionals, 226 (50.2 %) were nurses or auxiliary nursing staff, and the remaining 224 were doctors. These two groups presented differences regarding habits of sun exposure: 15.3 % of the doctors went to the beach at least 30 days a year, compared to 30.9 % of the nurses (p < 0.001). With respect to workplace situation, there were differences (p < 0.001) between the sunburn events reported by healthcare staff who worked in hospitals (52.4 %) compared to those working in primary healthcare (30.4 %); comparable differences were found with respect to attitudes toward the use of sunscreen creams (p = 0.014). This study identifies two distinct subgroups within healthcare personnel: on one hand, primary healthcare professionals, who are key agents for future policy strategies, and on the other, specialist healthcare professionals, who are more likely to suffer sunburn events and therefore toward whom strategies should be addressed to encourage them to change their sun exposure attitudes and habits and sun protection practices.

Skin cancer prevention campaign aimed at beachgoers on the Costa del Sol (southern Spain).

BACKGROUND: Sunbathing on the beach is one of the main risks for skin cancer. OBJECTIVE: In the summer of 2010, a skin cancer prevention campaign aimed at beachgoers was undertaken on the western Costa del Sol (southern Spain). METHODS: The campaign took place on beaches during July and August. A multicomponent intervention was conducted by a dermatologist and other healthcare professionals, including: (1) interviews about risk factors and sun protection habits; (2) full skin examination using dermoscopy; (3) health advice plus educational brochure; (4) sunscreen workshop plus free samples; and (5) survey about satisfaction and behavioral intentions. A journalism and health prize was offered to encourage mass media coverage. RESULTS: Four hundred and seven beachgoers (56% tourists) were recruited during the campaign, mean age 45 years. Most of the participants reported high-risk sun exposure and revealed high rates of clinically suspicious lesions of skin cancer (8.1%), melanoma (2.9%), actinic keratosis (10.2%), and atypical nevus (7.6%). The campaign was highly appreciated by the participants and followed not only by local but also regional and national media. CONCLUSION: Beachgoers are a strategic target to prevent skin cancer. Beaches are also suitable places to develop a skin cancer prevention campaign, allowing direct access to the high-risk population for surveying, health behavior education, and screening. Several keys may be useful to optimize results as the design of a personalized intervention of proven efficacy, provision of a trained healthcare team, and development of an attractive strategy for the mass media.