Investigação Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia

JSBD – Ano 23 – N.05

Development and validation of an instrument to assess the knowledge of general practitioners and pediatricians about photoprotection and solar radiation

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.abd.2019.09.011

Fernanda MendesAraújo^a,b; Julliana Andrade do Carmo^c; Letícia Diniz Cunha^c; Igor Monteiro Lima Martins^b; Airton dos Santos Gon^d; Antônio Prates Caldeira^b,e

a Department of Clinical Medicine, Dermatology, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Montes Claros, MG, Brazil
b Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Montes Claros, MG, Brazil
c School of Medicine, Faculdades Integradas Pitágoras de Montes Claros, Montes Claros, MG, Brazil
d Department of Clinical Medicine, Dermatology, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, PR, Brazil
e Department of Pediatrics, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Montes Claros, MG, Brazil

Abstract

Background
The knowledge of general practitioners about photoprotection is unknown.

Objectives
To develop and validate an instrument to evaluate the knowledge of general practitioners and pediatricians about photoprotection, gauging the knowledge of these professionals.

Methods
The study followed the steps: (1) Literature identification and item elaboration related to the theme; (2) Content validation; (3) Apparent validation; (4) Construct validation: internal consistency analysis and discriminatory analysis; (5) Reliability analysis. In Step 4, the instrument was applied to 217 general practitioners and pediatricians who worked in the host city of the study; the scores were compared with dermatologists scores.

Results
The final instrument had 41 items and showed satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.780), satisfactory reproducibility and good test–retest reliability (good-to-excellent kappa statistic in more than 60% of items). The discriminatory analysis registered a mean score of 54.1 points for dermatologists and 31.1 points for generalists and pediatricians, from a total of 82 possible points, representing a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001). Generalists and pediatricians demonstrated an understanding of the relationship between excessive sun exposure and skin cancer, but they revealed lack of technical information necessary for their professional practice.

Study limitations
The instrument evaluates only knowledge, without evaluating the conduct of the participants.

Conclusion
The results show that the instrument has good internal consistency and good reproducibility. It could be useful in the identification of general practitioners and pediatricians knowledge gaps on the subject, for the subsequent development of training and educational strategies.

Keywords
Health education; Skin neoplasms; Solar radiation; Sunscreening agents; Ultraviolet rays; Validation studies