Sun protection counseling by pediatricians
A. N. Easton, J. H. Price, K. Boehm and S. K. Telljohann
Department of Health Promotion, University of Toledo, USA. aneast@aol.com
OBJECTIVE: To establish a national baseline regarding pediatricians' sun
protection counseling perceptions and behaviors. INTERVENTIONS: A survey
was mailed to a random sample of 600 pediatricians selected from the 1996
American Academy of Pediatrics Directory using a 3-wave mailing technique
to maximize the response rate. The 3-wave mailing resulted in 414 returned
surveys of 583 surveys (17 surveys were nondeliverable) (a 71% response
rate). RESULTS: Most (60%) of the pediatricians lacked formal training on
how to counsel parents and children about sun protection. Approximately 3
(78%) of 4 indicated that not enough time was spent in their residency
program on how to educate parents and children about sun protection.
Greater than half (60%) of the respondents indicated that they usually
(47%) or always (13%) counseled about sun protection. Seventy-seven percent
of the respondents indicated that pediatricians have a professional
responsibility to counsel parents and children about sun protection.
CONCLUSIONS: The results of this investigation suggest that most
pediatricians surveyed believed that they had a professional responsibility
to counsel about sun protection and that such counseling would be effective
in decreasing skin cancer and the number of sunburns. Although most had not
had training on sun protection counseling in their residency program, 6 of
10 indicated that they usually or always counseled about sun protection.
Sun protection counseling training in residency programs can potentially
extend pediatricians' knowledge of skin cancer and the importance of a
broad spectrum of preventive measures, as well as increase their ability to
counsel about such measures.
