Uso de protetor solar facial em uma amostra de pacientes adultos usuários de serviços odontológicos: um estudo piloto

Abstract

The dentist should have knowledge of their patients’ sun protection habits to better guide them about the need of barriers against UV radiation as the onset of several diseases may be increased by UV rays on the skin, which accelerates the aging process and epithelial neoplasms emergence. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate factors associated with regular use of facial sunscreen. Seventy-four patients were interviewed in UFPel Dental School and asked if they were wearing facial sunscreen regularly. Demographic data were collected on a form including some independent variables. Among the variables studied and compared (gender, age, skin color, education, income, occupation and presence of suspicious lesions), statistically significant difference was found only in gender. Regular use of facial sunscreen in this population is less than half of the sample and among the factors studied, the only positive correlation was gender, where being a woman determines a greater use.