title: Likelihood of dermatology patients to inquire about sun protection measures during a regular clinic visit.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Health information-seeking behavior refers to ways individuals acquire health information. Few studies demonstrate its association with skin cancer.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the likelihood of patients to inquire about sun protection methods from dermatologists and whether such knowledge will affect their preventive behaviors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Over a 2-month period, 396 dermatology patients completed a survey assessing their sun awareness knowledge and inquiry about sun protection measures. Features associated with increased skin cancer risk were correlated with patients' inquiry about sun protection information and their future intentions to practice safe sun behavior.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One in seven patients (13.8%) inquired about sun protection measures. Patients with features known to be associated with increased skin cancer risk infrequently inquired about sun protection methods (4.5-23.8%). Post-physician counseling, patients with previous sun awareness education had a greater intention to use sunscreen routinely (41.4% vs 28.3%, p  =  .01), avoid the sun (31.2% vs 18.2%, p  =  .004), and wear sun-protective clothing (32.5% vs 23.2%., p  =  .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients' desire for medical information from physicians does not translate efficiently into seeking sun awareness information from dermatologists. Dermatologists should play a greater proactive role in skin cancer prevention through initiation of regular personalized discussions on sun awareness issues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Gordon W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Ambikaipakan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Senthilselvan
authors.forename: Thomas G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Salopek
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003376:Counseling / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D057226:Information Seeking Behavior; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D012307:Risk Factors; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D013471:Sunburn / Q000517:prevention & control*; D055815:Young Adult