Knowledge about photoprotection among medical students: a cross-sectional analysis

Resumen

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the knowledge of medical students about photoprotection. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional, descriptive and quantitative study, carried out with 241 students from a private university in the central region of Rio Grande do Sul, carried out in the second semester of 2024, through a self-assessment questionnaire. The students were divided into three groups according to their academic progress: Basic Cycle (from the first to the fourth semester), Clinical Cycle (from the fifth to the eighth semester) and Medical Internship (from the ninth to the twelfth semester). RESULTS: The answers obtained were analyzed in order to identify patterns of knowledge related to the academic level of the participants. There was a significant association between undergraduate advancement and knowledge about child photoprotection (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The results show the need to improve the knowledge of medical students about photoprotection. The inclusion of content on solar prevention in academic training can significantly contribute to the training of future physicians, allowing them to guide patients more effectively.