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Sun protection counseling by pediatricians
A N Easton1, J H Price, K Boehm
1Department of Health Promotion, University of Toledo, USA. aneast@aol.com
Insights
Most pediatricians believe they should counsel on sun protection, despite lacking formal training. Enhanced training could improve pediatricians' ability to educate families on skin cancer prevention and reduce sunburns.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Medicine
- Public Health
- Dermatology
Background:
- Pediatricians play a crucial role in educating families on preventive health measures.
- Sun protection counseling is vital for reducing risks of skin cancer and sunburn.
- National data on pediatricians' perceptions and practices regarding sun protection counseling were lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a national baseline of pediatricians' perceptions and behaviors concerning sun protection counseling.
- To identify gaps in formal training and residency education related to sun protection.
Main Methods:
- A national survey was distributed to a random sample of 600 pediatricians.
- A 3-wave mailing technique was employed to maximize response rate.
- The study achieved a 71% response rate with 414 returned surveys.
Main Results:
- 60% of surveyed pediatricians lacked formal training in sun protection counseling.
- 78% felt residency programs did not allocate sufficient time for sun protection education.
- 60% of pediatricians reported usually or always counseling on sun protection.
- 77% believed pediatricians have a professional responsibility to counsel on sun protection.
Conclusions:
- Most pediatricians acknowledge a professional responsibility for sun protection counseling.
- Despite limited formal training, a majority regularly counsel on sun protection.
- Improved residency training in sun protection counseling could enhance pediatricians' knowledge and counseling skills, ultimately benefiting patient health.
Objective:
To establish a national baseline regarding pediatricians' sun protection counseling perceptions and behaviors.
Interventions:
A survey was mailed to a random sample of 600 pediatricians selected from the 1996 American Academy of Pediatrics Directory using a 3-wave mailing technique to maximize the response rate. The 3-wave mailing resulted in 414 returned surveys of 583 surveys (17 surveys were nondeliverable) (a 71% response rate).
Results:
Most (60%) of the pediatricians lacked formal training on how to counsel parents and children about sun protection. Approximately 3 (78%) of 4 indicated that not enough time was spent in their residency program on how to educate parents and children about sun protection. Greater than half (60%) of the respondents indicated that they usually (47%) or always (13%) counseled about sun protection. Seventy-seven percent of the respondents indicated that pediatricians have a professional responsibility to counsel parents and children about sun protection.
Conclusions:
The results of this investigation suggest that most pediatricians surveyed believed that they had a professional responsibility to counsel about sun protection and that such counseling would be effective in decreasing skin cancer and the number of sunburns. Although most had not had training on sun protection counseling in their residency program, 6 of 10 indicated that they usually or always counseled about sun protection. Sun protection counseling training in residency programs can potentially extend pediatricians' knowledge of skin cancer and the importance of a broad spectrum of preventive measures, as well as increase their ability to counsel about such measures.