Journal of Research in Pharmacy Practice

The use of sunscreen products among final year medicine and pharmacy students: A cross‑sectional study of knowledge, attitude, practice, and perception

Authors

. Ammar Ihsan Awadh 1
. Shazia Jamshed 1
. Ramadan M. Elkalmi 1
. Hazrina Hadi 2

1 Department of Pharmacy Practice, International Islamic University Malaysia, Pahang, Malaysia

2 Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, International Islamic University Malaysia, Pahang, Malaysia

Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the knowledge, attitude, perception, and practice of medical and 
pharmacy students toward the usage of sunscreen as protection for the skin against 
ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
Methods: This cross‑sectional study was conducted among final year medical and 
pharmacy undergraduates at the International Islamic University Malaysia. Validated 
questionnaires were distributed to 134 medical students and 100 pharmacy students. 
Descriptive and inferential statistics were used where appropriate.
Findings: One hundred and sixty‑one out of 234 participants completed the 
questionnaires. The participants comprised 101 medical students (75.4%) and sixty 
pharmacy students (60.0%). The majority of the respondents were females (102; 63.4%), 
and 59 (36.6%) were males. The median of the knowledge scores of the final year 
medical students was significantly lower than that of the final year pharmacy 
students (P < 0.001). The female students showed significantly higher knowledge scores 
than the male students (P = 0.027). This study reported that 24 (39.3%) pharmacy 
students were influenced by the media to use sunscreen, whereas 35 (34.7%) medical 
students were influenced the most by friends to use sunscreen. The final year pharmacy 
students had a better perception compared to the medical students, with the total 
perception score of the final year pharmacy students being significantly higher than 
that of the final year medical students (P = 0.020). Most of the participants were also 
aware of the harmful effects of UV radiation and had a positive reaction toward the 
usage of sunscreen to prevent those harmful effects.
Conclusion: The knowledge and perception of final year pharmacy students were 
significantly higher than the knowledge and perception of final year medical students 
with regard to the usage of sunscreen.

Keywords

Attitude
knowledge
perception
practice
sunscreen
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Journal of Research in Pharmacy Practice
Volume 5, Issue 3
Summer 2016
Pages 193-199

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