Satisfaction of mountain guides with high sun protection as a tool to prevent non-melanoma skin cancer.

BACKGROUND

Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is an occupational disease for outdoor workers in Germany since 2015. Sustainable prevention is demanded and sunscreen promoted as an effective tool. However, studies on the satisfaction of sunscreen users are rare.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the satisfaction of mountain guides using a high SPF sunscreen product as an appropriate prevention tool for mountain guides.

METHODS

Motivating mountain and ski guides in Germany to use very high protection sunscreen (SPF50+, Actinica Lotion) during a 4- to 8-h workday followed by the completion of a self-filled paper-based questionnaire about their experience and satisfaction with the product.

RESULTS

Of 88 mountain and ski guides (61 men, 27 women) included in the study, 61.4% reported regular sunscreen use with the application of very high protection (SPF50+) in 18.6% of all cases. At the end of the workday, 78.6% found the product convenient and easy to include into their daily work and 79.3% felt sufficiently protected against the sun.

CONCLUSION

Overall satisfaction with the use of high SPF products during work is high in mountain and ski guides and could be an effective tool in prevention campaigns.