Impact of a sun awareness curriculum on medical students' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour

Physicians teach sun awareness to their patients, but frequently have no formal training in this area. A week-long dermatology curriculum during Sun Awareness Week that included skin cancer and sun awareness education to first-year medical students was introduced in May 1998 at the University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.

The purpose of this study was to determine the baseline knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour of the first-year medical students towards sun awareness before and after the new curriculum.

This study used a pre- and post-test design to determine the impact of the curriculum on the medical students' knowledge, attitudes, and intent to change behaviour. It also reports any influence of demographic variables on these parameters.

The students demonstrated a substantial improvement in their knowledge of sun-related topics despite some baseline knowledge. Many students reported unhealthy behaviour prior to the curriculum, but demonstrated an intent to adopt more healthy behaviour after the curriculum. Minor differences in knowledge and behaviour due to demographic characteristics disappeared upon completion of the curriculum.

An undergraduate medical curriculum with skin cancer and sun awareness education can improve the medical students' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour towards sun awareness.