Knowledge, attitude, and practice of sunscreen use among undergraduate medical students in the College of Medicine, University of Lagos: A cross-sectional study

Background: Chronic exposure to sunlight is known to cause melanomas, cancers, and photoaging of the skin. The major risk factor associated with these conditions is chronic exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun, and this can be mitigated with sun protective measures including frequent use of sunscreens as these are known to reflect or absorb these rays. The study aimed to assess the knowledge and prevalence of sunscreen use among undergraduate medical students in a university in Lagos, Nigeria. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted among medical undergraduate students in the College of Medicine, University of Lagos. Data were collected through an online self-administered questionnaire from 273 participants across all the levels. Analysis was done using IBM SPSS version 26 for Windows. The data obtained were evaluated using the descriptive and parametric tests. Results: Most of the participants were knowledgeable about the sunscreen use. The mean percentage knowledge score was 69% +/- 16.2%. This knowledge, however, did not translate into use as only 77; 28.2% of the participants currently used a sunscreen; out of which 83.1% (64) were females. The study showed that the most common reasons for not using sunscreens included no reason in particular, high cost, and not thinking it was necessary for black skin in 58%, 38%, and 26% of the respondents, respectively. Other methods of sun protection used more frequently among the respondents were sun avoidance, hats, and sunglasses. Conclusion: The prevalence of sunscreen use among medical students in Nigeria is low compared to other studies done in similar populations in the West and Asia. More enlightenment is needed to improve the awareness and practice of sunscreen use in young adults.