TY - JOUR
T1 - Sun Protection Outreach Teaching by Students (SPOTS)-Evaluating the Efficacy of Skin Cancer Prevention Education for Adolescents
AU - Chaudhry, Sofia B.
AU - Armbrecht, Eric S.
AU - Gibbons, Mitchell
AU - Council, M. Laurin
AU - Knutson, Alex
AU - Lickerman, Stephanie
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2021 by the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, Inc. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
PY - 2021/7/1
Y1 - 2021/7/1
N2 - BACKGROUND: The Sun Protection Outreach Teaching by Students (SPOTS) program addresses an unmet need by training medical students to teach adolescents about skin cancer prevention and early detection. OBJECTIVE: To measure (1) changes in adolescents' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding sun protection and (2) the impact on medical students' confidence in skin cancer preventive counseling. METHODS: Pre-SPOTS and 1-month post-SPOTS program surveys were completed by adolescent participants and medical student instructors. RESULTS: Amongst adolescent students, analysis of 1,142 pre-program surveys and 618 post-program surveys revealed statistically significant improvements in knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Among the favorable results, 26%, 41%, and 20% improvements over baseline were observed in SPF knowledge, preference for natural untanned skin, and intent to wear sunscreen, respectively (p < .001). One-third of adolescents reported having tried to increase sunscreen use. Amongst medical students, analysis of 78 pre-teaching and 74 post-teaching surveys revealed an increase in feeling "very confident" in counseling patients, from 23% pre-teaching to 82% post-teaching (p < .001). CONCLUSION: SPOTS demonstrated a dual benefit to adolescents and medical students. The program is available for dermatologists to implement in their communities.
AB - BACKGROUND: The Sun Protection Outreach Teaching by Students (SPOTS) program addresses an unmet need by training medical students to teach adolescents about skin cancer prevention and early detection. OBJECTIVE: To measure (1) changes in adolescents' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding sun protection and (2) the impact on medical students' confidence in skin cancer preventive counseling. METHODS: Pre-SPOTS and 1-month post-SPOTS program surveys were completed by adolescent participants and medical student instructors. RESULTS: Amongst adolescent students, analysis of 1,142 pre-program surveys and 618 post-program surveys revealed statistically significant improvements in knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Among the favorable results, 26%, 41%, and 20% improvements over baseline were observed in SPF knowledge, preference for natural untanned skin, and intent to wear sunscreen, respectively (p < .001). One-third of adolescents reported having tried to increase sunscreen use. Amongst medical students, analysis of 78 pre-teaching and 74 post-teaching surveys revealed an increase in feeling "very confident" in counseling patients, from 23% pre-teaching to 82% post-teaching (p < .001). CONCLUSION: SPOTS demonstrated a dual benefit to adolescents and medical students. The program is available for dermatologists to implement in their communities.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85109389299&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/DSS.0000000000003093
DO - 10.1097/DSS.0000000000003093
M3 - Article
C2 - 34167128
AN - SCOPUS:85109389299
VL - 47
SP - 926
EP - 930
JO - Dermatologic Surgery
JF - Dermatologic Surgery
SN - 1076-0512
IS - 7
ER -