Division of Ambulatory Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed. 2012 Aug;28(4):200-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0781.2012.00671.x.
Sun protection behavior is a proven intervention for aging skin and skin cancer prevention, especially if training on prolonged sun exposure can be performed early in life. Despite the fact that there are several study reports from multicenters in the West, there are limited data on sun protection in tropical countries where the prevalence of sunburn as well as sun protection behavior and knowledge are low. In Bangkok, sun protection behavior among adolescents is different from the studies performed in the West. Schools are key institutions in encouraging students to prevent themselves from acquiring problems of long-time sun exposure.
To assess the amount of time exposed to the sun, sun protection behavior, attitudes, and knowledge about sun exposure protection among secondary school adolescents in Bangkok, Thailand.
This is a nonrandomized, cross-sectional survey. All students from seven secondary schools in Bangkok (public/private, male/female/coed) were recruited in to the study.
A total of 10,387 students were enrolled in to the study; 6176 (59.5%) and 4211 (40.5%) students were from grades 7 to 9 and 10 to 12, respectively. Male students significantly lacked proper sun-protecting behaviors when compared to the female students in the use of sunscreen (9.4% vs. 28.0%, P < 0.001), staying under the shade (55.5% vs. 65.2%, P < 0.001), and use of umbrellas (5.2% vs. 12.1%, P < 0.001). Proper attitudes and sun-protecting behaviors among junior high school students were deficient when compared to high school students in the use of sunscreen (57.1% vs. 60.6%, P < 0.001), types of clothing (10.5% vs. 15.3%, P < 0.001), and hat (3.2% vs. 3.9%, P < 0.001).
Sun protection behavior among adolescents in Bangkok was poor compared to Western countries. The attitudes and general knowledge about sun protection were significantly different among male and female students from grades 7 to 9 and 10 to 12.
The limitation of the study is the use of self-reported questionnaires in assessing sun exposure and protection.
防晒行为是预防皮肤老化和皮肤癌的一种已被证实的干预措施，尤其是如果能够在生命早期对长时间暴露在阳光下进行培训。尽管西方有多个多中心的研究报告，但在热带国家，关于防晒的资料有限，这些国家的晒伤率以及防晒行为和知识都很低。在曼谷，青少年的防晒行为与西方的研究不同。学校是鼓励学生防止自己长时间暴露在阳光下出现问题的关键机构。
评估泰国曼谷中学青少年暴露在阳光下的时间、防晒行为、态度和对防晒保护的知识。
这是一项非随机、横断面调查。研究招募了曼谷七所中学（公立/私立、男/女/男女同校）的所有学生。
共有 10387 名学生入组研究；7 至 9 年级和 10 至 12 年级的学生分别为 6176 名（59.5%）和 4211 名（40.5%）。与女学生相比，男学生在使用防晒霜（9.4%比 28.0%，P<0.001）、待在阴凉处（55.5%比 65.2%，P<0.001）和使用雨伞（5.2%比 12.1%，P<0.001）方面明显缺乏适当的防晒行为。与高中生相比，初中生在使用防晒霜（57.1%比 60.6%，P<0.001）、服装类型（10.5%比 15.3%，P<0.001）和帽子（3.2%比 3.9%，P<0.001）方面的适当态度和防晒行为明显不足。
与西方国家相比，曼谷青少年的防晒行为较差。7 至 9 年级和 10 至 12 年级的男女生在防晒态度和一般防晒知识方面存在显著差异。
本研究的局限性在于使用自我报告问卷评估阳光暴露和保护。
