Skin cancer awareness and sunscreen use among outpatients of a South African hospital: need for vigorous public education

Figures & data

Table 1: Demographic data and awareness of specific aspects of skin cancer, sun protection and prevention of skin damage, and appropriate behaviours reported by 963 respondents

Question	Black African (n = 373)	Indian (n = 308)	White (n = 282)	All (n = 963)	p-value
Knowledge:
Awareness that black populations (including African and Indian people) are at risk of skin cancer	173 (46.4%)	225 (73.1%)	240 (85.1%)	638 (66.3%)	< 0.0001
Awareness that regular use of sunscreen may prevent skin cancer	113 (30.3%)	178 (57.8%)	229 (81.2%)	520 (54.0%)	< 0.0001
Understanding of the concept of sun protection factor (SPF)	110 (29.5%)	165 (53.6%)	239 (84.8%)	514 (53.4%)	< 0.0001
Awareness that sunburn is a form of skin damage	43 (11.8%)	89 (29.1%)	164 (59.0%)	296 (31.2%)	< 0.0001
Awareness of the need for regular sunscreen use	59 (15.8%)	76 (24.7%)	60 (21.3%)	195 (50.2%)	0.015
Sufficient knowledge to recognise a suspicious skin lesion	24 (6.4%)	37 (12.0%)	51 (18.1%)	112 (11.6%)	< 0.0001
Awareness that melanoma may present on palms, soles and nails	37 (9.9%)	39 (12.7%)	21 (7.4%)	97 (10.1%)	0.1
Cosmesis:
Awareness that sunscreen promotes an even skin tone	89 (23.9%)	137 (44.5%)	157 (55.7%)	383 (39.8%)	< 0.0001
Awareness that sunscreen can prevent wrinkling	73 (19.6%)	101 (32.8%)	162 (57.4%)	336 (34.9%)	< 0.0001
Awareness that sunscreen can prevent darkening of the skin	85 (22.8%)	147 (47.7%)	64 (22.7%)	296 (30.7%)	< 0.0001
Behaviour:
Avoidance of sunbathing	332 (89.0%)	201 (65.3%)	247 (87.6%)	780 (81.0%)	< 0.0001
Correct use of sunscreen	52 (13.9%)	68 (22.1%)	145 (51.4%)	265 (27.5%)	< 0.0001
Skin self-examination	17 (4.6%)	43 (14.0%)	51 (18.1%)	111 (11.5%)	< 0.0001
Skin examination by a doctor	15 (4.0%)	23 (7.5%)	24 (8.6%)	62 (6.5%)	0.08

Figure 1: Age distribution of the sample group by ethnicity. [Age distribution of respondents, categorised by race.]

Figure 2: Distribution of scores on the knowledge items (top panel) and on behaviour items (lower panel). [ Top panel : distribution plot of the number of areas appropriately understood (see Table 1) on a series of 10 questions testing knowledge of sun protection and skin cancer prevention and recognition. Bottom panel : distribution plot of the number of appropriate behaviours reported by the respondents. The behaviours are sun avoidance, regular use of sunscreen, skin self-examination and skin examination by a doctor.]