Knowledge and attitude of caregivers regarding sun exposure and protection in pediatric age in Western Region, Saudi Arabia
Abstract Children’s sun safety habits have been studied globally, but there is a significant research gap in the western region of Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to assess caregivers’ knowledge and attitudes about sun safety for children and adolescents in the Western region of Saudi Arabia. We cond...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-02-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-90577-0 |
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| author | Elaf Bahareth Ibrahim Alibrahim Rayyan Bassas Maria AlSulami Abdulaziz Aljuaid Ameera Bukhari Imad Khojah Mohammed Nashawi Aisha Mirza Amer Khojah |
| author_facet | Elaf Bahareth Ibrahim Alibrahim Rayyan Bassas Maria AlSulami Abdulaziz Aljuaid Ameera Bukhari Imad Khojah Mohammed Nashawi Aisha Mirza Amer Khojah |
| author_sort | Elaf Bahareth |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Children’s sun safety habits have been studied globally, but there is a significant research gap in the western region of Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to assess caregivers’ knowledge and attitudes about sun safety for children and adolescents in the Western region of Saudi Arabia. We conducted a cross-sectional study through a validated online questionnaire directed to caregivers living in the Western region of Saudi Arabia. Using 50% and 75% as cutoff thresholds, individuals were divided into three knowledge levels: low (scores from 15 to 44), average (from 45 to 59), and high (from 60 to 75). The study included 940 caregivers (53% were mothers). The majority of caregivers (73%) demonstrated an average level of knowledge about sun protection, with notable misconceptions such as the belief that sun protection is unnecessary in winter. Most of the participants could accurately identify health risks associated with excessive sun exposure such as the risk of skin cancer. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that having a child aged 1 year or younger was an independent predictor of higher knowledge levels regarding sun exposure and protection (OR = 1.27; 95% CI: 1.01–1.6). Sun protection practices were inconsistent; 28.7% of caregivers never used sunscreen themselves, 34.9% never used them for their children and 23% used it exclusively in the summer months. In conclusion, while most participants exhibited average knowledge about sunlight exposure and protection, only 23.1% of caregivers applied sunscreen regularly on their children. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-bbd1fbf916a34508b98f4c129f6beaa9 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
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| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-bbd1fbf916a34508b98f4c129f6beaa92025-08-20T03:10:57ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-02-011511910.1038/s41598-025-90577-0Knowledge and attitude of caregivers regarding sun exposure and protection in pediatric age in Western Region, Saudi ArabiaElaf Bahareth0Ibrahim Alibrahim1Rayyan Bassas2Maria AlSulami3Abdulaziz Aljuaid4Ameera Bukhari5Imad Khojah6Mohammed Nashawi7Aisha Mirza8Amer Khojah9College of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura UniversityCollege of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura UniversityCollege of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura UniversityCollege of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura UniversityCollege of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura UniversityCollege of Science, Taif UniversityFaculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz UniversityFaculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz UniversityMakkah Maternity and Children HospitalDepartment of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura UniversityAbstract Children’s sun safety habits have been studied globally, but there is a significant research gap in the western region of Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to assess caregivers’ knowledge and attitudes about sun safety for children and adolescents in the Western region of Saudi Arabia. We conducted a cross-sectional study through a validated online questionnaire directed to caregivers living in the Western region of Saudi Arabia. Using 50% and 75% as cutoff thresholds, individuals were divided into three knowledge levels: low (scores from 15 to 44), average (from 45 to 59), and high (from 60 to 75). The study included 940 caregivers (53% were mothers). The majority of caregivers (73%) demonstrated an average level of knowledge about sun protection, with notable misconceptions such as the belief that sun protection is unnecessary in winter. Most of the participants could accurately identify health risks associated with excessive sun exposure such as the risk of skin cancer. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that having a child aged 1 year or younger was an independent predictor of higher knowledge levels regarding sun exposure and protection (OR = 1.27; 95% CI: 1.01–1.6). Sun protection practices were inconsistent; 28.7% of caregivers never used sunscreen themselves, 34.9% never used them for their children and 23% used it exclusively in the summer months. In conclusion, while most participants exhibited average knowledge about sunlight exposure and protection, only 23.1% of caregivers applied sunscreen regularly on their children.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-90577-0Sun exposureSunscreenEpipenEpinephrine auto-InjectorPediatric allergySaudi Arabia |
| spellingShingle | Elaf Bahareth Ibrahim Alibrahim Rayyan Bassas Maria AlSulami Abdulaziz Aljuaid Ameera Bukhari Imad Khojah Mohammed Nashawi Aisha Mirza Amer Khojah Knowledge and attitude of caregivers regarding sun exposure and protection in pediatric age in Western Region, Saudi Arabia Scientific Reports Sun exposure Sunscreen Epipen Epinephrine auto-Injector Pediatric allergy Saudi Arabia |
| title | Knowledge and attitude of caregivers regarding sun exposure and protection in pediatric age in Western Region, Saudi Arabia |
| title_full | Knowledge and attitude of caregivers regarding sun exposure and protection in pediatric age in Western Region, Saudi Arabia |
| title_fullStr | Knowledge and attitude of caregivers regarding sun exposure and protection in pediatric age in Western Region, Saudi Arabia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Knowledge and attitude of caregivers regarding sun exposure and protection in pediatric age in Western Region, Saudi Arabia |
| title_short | Knowledge and attitude of caregivers regarding sun exposure and protection in pediatric age in Western Region, Saudi Arabia |
| title_sort | knowledge and attitude of caregivers regarding sun exposure and protection in pediatric age in western region saudi arabia |
| topic | Sun exposure Sunscreen Epipen Epinephrine auto-Injector Pediatric allergy Saudi Arabia |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-90577-0 |
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