Authors
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
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