Epidemiologic profile of skin tumors in the Philippine General Hospital: A descriptive cross-sectional study

Background and Aims

Skin tumors are one of the most common complaints among patients due to their external location and esthetic reasons. Skin tumors have a wide spectrum from being benign, with only esthetic problems, to malignant, which can be fatal. This study aimed to describe the epidemiologic profile of skin tumors in the Philippine General Hospital Out-patient Services.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional study that describes the epidemiologic profile of the different skin tumors among Filipinos who consulted at the Philippine General Hospital Out-patient Services.

Results

Benign skin tumors are more common than malignant ones. Benign skin tumors are commonly seen in middle-aged adults, with a median age of 33 years. There was a higher proportion of benign tumors among females (n = 1256/1529, 82.15%) compared to males (n = 690/923, 74.76%). The site of predilection was the head and neck region. The most common benign skin tumor was the intradermal nevus. The older adult age group had a higher predilection for malignant tumors, with a median age of 57 years. Relatively, there was higher proportion of malignant tumors among males (n = 223/923, 25.24%) compared to females (n = 273/1529, 17.85%). The site of predilection is also the head and neck region. Among malignant skin tumors, basal cell carcinoma is the most common skin cancer.

Conclusion

The epidemiologic profile of skin tumors from patients seen in the Philippine General Hospital in terms of median age at diagnosis, sex preponderance, site of predilection, and tumor classification was similar to various Asian countries located in relatively the same latitude as the Philippines.

Awareness of pharmacists and consumers towards protective effects of sunscreens against skin cancer

The objective of the present study was to assess the awareness level of individuals on the use of sunscreen products, and pharmacists' perception of sunscreen safety. A cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Participants involved included 224 female undergraduates of Ajman University (aged 18-25 years old), 234 patients visiting numerous pharmacies, and 58 pharmacists from the private sector in Dubai. Questionnaires were designed and distributed to all participants. Data entry and analysis were performed using SPSS (Statistical Program for Social Sciences) version 20. Among female undergraduate students, 94.7% used sun protection, 81.1% understood what is meant by SPF (Sun Protection Factor) Value, and 70.2% used the optimal SPF (15-20). Additionally, 95.2% reported that sunscreens do not have any side effects. Out of the 234 patients who participated in the study, 86.8% used sun protection, 56.8% understood what is meant by SPF, and 43.2% used the optimal SPF. Furthermore, 93.2% stated that sunscreens do not have any side effects. Female patients were found to use sunscreens with higher SPF values (above 50) as compared to male patients (P ≤ 0.024). Patients above the age of 40 also used sunscreens with high SPF (P ≤ 0.001). As for pharmacists, they all agreed that sunscreens have a marked safety profile, with no side effects, and that the optimal SPF for use is 15-20. Most pharmacists (80%) reported that consumers are in fact aware and knowledgeable about the proper use and application of sunscreens. Optimal use of routine sunscreen is of paramount importance to prevent skin damage as well as cancer.

Primary prevention of keratinocyte carcinoma among outdoor workers, the general population and medical professionals: a systematic review updated for 2019

Worldwide 2-3 million cases of keratinocyte carcinoma (KC) are diagnosed annually. Sun-related knowledge is essential for adequate protection against solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR), the main risk factor for KC. The goal was (i) to provide an updated overview of primary prevention against KC including skin cancer-related knowledge, attitudes and sun protection behaviour (SPB) of outdoor workers, the general population and medical professionals as well as (ii) to evaluate the effectiveness and acceptability of sun protection programmes. We conducted a systematic review of articles indexed for MEDLINE on PubMed using selected MeSH terms and keywords related to the studied topic as well as an extensive hand search of publications between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2018. We identified 51 relevant cross-sectional studies and 22 interventional studies. Sun-related knowledge and attitude showed substantial differences with some alarming results, including people who had not even heard about skin cancer before. Reported SPB varied enormously between the included studies, with none of the studies providing an overall sufficient SPB in their examined sun protection measures. However, sun protection programmes using new technologies seem to have great potential to increase sun-related knowledge and SPB. In countries worldwide, particularly in those where KC is not yet a public health issue, UVR protection should be promoted by healthcare institutions and authorities, politicians, cancer foundations and dermatologists to increase awareness as well as SPB and to decrease the worldwide burden of KC.

Effectiveness of preventive medicine education and its determinants among medical students in Malaysia

Preventive medicine has been incorporated in the medical school curriculum, but its effectiveness and the factors that affect it are yet to be widely looked into in the context of Malaysia. We aimed to measure the familiarity with, perception about the importance to learn, and the ability to practice preventive medicine as well as its determinants among the medical students in Malaysia. Thus, a cross sectional study was conducted through an anonymous online survey among 387 randomly selected final year medical students of four large public medical schools in Malaysia from March to September 2014. Of the total sample, 340 (response rate 87.8%) gave a written informed consent and took part in the survey. The familiarity of the sample with preventive medicine was measured in 19 preventive medicine areas, and their perception about the importance of preventive medicine and their ability to practice it were gauged on a Likert scale (low score indicates disagreement and high indicates agreement). Descriptive statistical analysis was performed, followed by logistic regression. The mean age of the respondents was 23.7 (SD 0.77) years, and 61.2% (n = 208) of them were females. Results showed that 22.9% of the sample (n = 78) had a low familiarity with preventive medicine, whereas 76.8% (n = 261) had a high familiarity. The study sample specified that among all the preventive medicine subjects, screening and control as well as smoking cessation and immunization are "extremely important to learn." In univariable analysis, being a female, medical school, family size, and perception about the importance to learn preventive medicine were associated with the ability to practice it. In multivariable analysis, the perception towards the importance to learn preventive medicine was the only significant determinant: aOR (adjusted odds ratio) for those who "agreed" 17.28 (95% CI aOR 4.44-67.26, P < 0.001) and for "strongly agreed" 35.87 (95% CI aOR 8.04-159.87, P < 0.001). Considering these findings, the familiarity of medical students with preventive medicine should be increased. The perception about the importance to learn preventive medicine is a strong determinant for the ability to practice it.

Predictors of Sun-Protective Practices among Iranian Female College Students: Application of Protection Motivation Theory

PURPOSE

Given the importance of sun protection in the prevention of skin cancer, this study was designed to determine predictors of sun-protective practices among a sample of Iranian female college students based on protection motivation theory (PMT) variables.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, a total of 201 female college students in Iran University of Medical Sciences were selected. Demographic and PMT variables were assessed with a 67-item questionnaire. Multiple linear regression was used to identify demographic and PMT variables that were associated with sun-protective practices and intention.

RESULTS

one percent of participants always wore a hat with a brim, 3.5% gloves and 15.9% sunglasses while outdoors. Only 10.9% regularly had their skin checked by a doctor. Perceived rewards, response efficacy, fear, self-efficacy and marital status were the five variables which could predict 39% variance of participants intention to perform sun-protective practices. Also, intention and response cost explained 31% of the variance of sun-protective practices.

CONCLUSIONS

These predictive variables may be used to develop theory-based education interventions interventions to prevent skin cancer among college students.