Sun education in Africa: Nigeria and West African subregion
| Autor: | A.O. George |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 1998 |
| Předmět: |
Premature aging
medicine.medical_specialty Albinism Ultraviolet Rays media_common.quotation_subject Immigration Population Nigeria Legislation Dermatology Skin Diseases Environmental protection medicine Humans education Health Education media_common education.field_of_study integumentary system business.industry Public health Mortality rate medicine.disease Africa Western Sunlight Health education Skin cancer business Dermatitis Phototoxic Demography |
| Zdroj: | Clinics in Dermatology. 16:520-521 |
| ISSN: | 0738-081X |
| DOI: | 10.1016/s0738-081x(98)00026-1 |
| Popis: | The efficacy of sun safety education is best measured by the reduction in mortality rates from skin cancer. Mortality from melanoma in Israel decreased from 7 in 100,000 to 4 in 100,000 over the last six years, but it is beginning to rise again. Unfortunately, similar to the experience of other countries, increased knowledge about actinic damage has left sun behavior almost unchanged. Surveys on awareness and sun protection habits conducted among 12to 18-year-old residents of Tel Aviv before and after education programs show that most youth are exposed to media campaigns, believe in the importance of protection, and know how to protect themselves from the sun. Nevertheless, only 71% of interviewed adolescents reported using sun protection measures, and as many as 25% still suffer from sunburns. Boys are more sun-exposed than girls, probably because they engage more in outdoor sports. Both sexes continue to admire the suntanned look. Thus, despite the many efforts to minimize actinic damage in Israel, the situation is far from satisfactory. Much remains to be done in the areas of education and legislation. A study of previous campaigns has shown that education should be better targeted at risk groups and include pregnant women and parents of young children. While it is questionable whether any propaganda can discourage admiration for the suntanned look, the public should be bombarded with information and examples of the unattractiveness of premature aging caused by the sun. To date the only significant finding was the transient decrease in mortality from malignant melanoma seen a few years ago, which was probably the result of better screening of the population for skin cancer that resulted in diagnosis of malignant melanoma in early stages rather than a significant change in behavior regarding sun exposure. The rise in mortality rate that began in 1996 might be related to the influx of the large number of immigrants from the former Soviet Union who did not have the benefit of the last decade of sun education. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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