Common sources of skin care education: a cross-sectional study.
BACKGROUND
The resources used by the public to locate health information are important.


OBJECTIVE
To expose the sources from which the public gains a knowledge of dermatology.


METHODS
An anonymous, multiple-choice questionnaire was distributed to adults in college campuses, shopping malls, and community parks over a 4-month period.


RESULTS
Sixty-six percent of individuals stated that they felt physicians had the most authority for making recommendations regarding the skin. When questioned about the sources of skin care advice, however, there was a discrepancy, with only 35% stating that they actually consulted professionals. Indeed, 37% admitted to using family and friends as their primary source of information, and 28% used the media first.


CONCLUSIONS
In our opinion, the best method to ensure healthy skin habits and early diagnosis of disease would be to combine the efforts of healthcare and the media. These public resources should make people aware of skin diseases and preventative measures, whilst encouraging regular check-ups with dermatologists and persuading patients to employ open conversation with their physicians regarding care of their skin.
Department of Dermatology, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA. tinabhutanimd@gmail.com
Tina
T
Bhutani
David
D
Peng
Thuzar
T
Shin
Han
H
Lee
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003879:Dermatologic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008402:Mass Media; D008875:Middle Aged; D010820:Physicians; D012737:Sex Factors; D017592:Skin Care; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D003879:Dermatologic Agents