Skin Cancer Awareness, Beliefs, Behaviors, and Access to Care Among the Homeless and Underinsured Patients Using a...

To understand the attitudes, beliefs, knowledge, and access to care surrounding sun safety for a primarily homeless or underinsured patient population at a student-run health clinic.

All adult attendees at the health clinic were invited to complete an anonymous 16-item questionnaire that assessed their sun safety history, practices, knowledge, and beliefs.

Fifty participants completed our questionnaire, with 35 individuals (70%) reporting that they were without permanent residence, and 21 individuals indicating that they were uninsured or using Medicaid (42%). The typical reported daily sun exposure was high (median=4 hours), while sunscreen use was uncommon (mean=1.83, falling between a "Never" or "Rarely" rating). Only 10 participants (20%) reported having ever seen a dermatologist though commonly assumed barriers such as transportation, cost, or wait time were not endorsed at high rates.  Conclusion: Our findings highlight areas for targeted education surrounding sun safety and identify sun protection methods accessible for this patient population.