Sun burn incidence and knowledge of greek elementary and high school children about sun protection.
BACKGROUND
Overexposure to sun radiation and particularly its accumulation during childhood and adolescence is a significant risk factor for skin cancer development. The sun burn is particularly important.


OBJECTIVE
To estimate sun burn incidence in young pupils in a coastal area of Greece.


METHODS
Two surveys were conducted in a school population in the same district in Greece, over different periods of time, in young people 9 to 18 years old (n=2 977). Anonymous questionnaires were completed. Levels of significance were two- tailed and statistical significance was set at p=0.05. SPSS 17.0 software was used for statistical analysis.


RESULTS
From the individual characteristics of the participants it was shown that the majority of them had dark hair and fair skin, whereas a significant percentage reported the existence of moles on face and their body (83.4% vs 68.1%). The sun burn incidence was high in adolescents and the younger pupils (41.9% vs 55.6%). The younger aged children who were living in an urban area had significantly higher rates of sun burn than those living in semi-urban areas (33.8% vs 24.8%, p=0.020). As far as the knowledge of pupils about the risks of sun radiation it was shown that the elementary school pupils had better knowledge than those at high school. Finally, those with better knowledge had the fewer sun burns (Mean 2.83 SD 0.87, p<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The contribution of knowledge to the decrease of sun burn incidence is important as long as this is continuous. Therefore, the education should concern not only children but also teachers and parents in the context of continuous and systematic programs of health education.
Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Peloponnese, Korinthos, Greece E-mail : sarmar32@windowslive.com.
Maria Ioannis
MI
Saridi
Aikaterini George
AG
Toska
Maria Dimitrios
MD
Rekleiti
Maria
M
Tsironi
Maria
M
Geitona
Kyriakos
K
Souliotis
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012574:Schools; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D013471:Sunburn / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D013472:Sunlight / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013473:Sunscreening Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D013473:Sunscreening Agents