'My child did not like using sun protection': practices and perceptions of child sun protection among rural black African mothers

• Published in: BMC public health 2017-08, Vol.17 (1), p.677-8, Article 677
• Main Authors: Kunene, Zamantimande, Albers, Patricia N, Lucas, Robyn M, Banwell, Cathy, Mathee, Angela, Wright, Caradee Y
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Africa; Age; Behavior; Caregivers; Cataracts; Child; Child Behavior - ethnology; Child Behavior - psychology; Child, Preschool; Children; Children & youth; Clinics; Cosmetics industry; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; Environmental health; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice - ethnology; Health risks; Humans; Infant; Male; Middle Aged; Mothers; Mothers - psychology; Mothers - statistics & numerical data; Outdoors; Parents & parenting; Pigmentation; Public health; Questionnaires; Researchers; Rural areas; Rural Population - statistics & numerical data; Skin; Skin cancer; Skin Neoplasms - ethnology; Skin Neoplasms - prevention & control; Skin of colour; Skin pigmentation; Solar ultraviolet radiation; South Africa; Studies; Sun; Sunscreen; Sunscreening Agents - therapeutic use; Surveys and Questionnaires; Ultraviolet radiation; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1471-2458; 1471-2458
• DOI: 10.1186/s12889-017-4688-7

Photodamage is partially mitigated by darker skin pigmentation, but immune suppression, photoaging and cataracts occur among individuals with all skin types. To assess practices and acceptability to Black African mothers of sun protection equipment for their children living in a rural area, participants were recruited at the time of their child's 18-month vaccinations. Mothers completed a baseline questionnaire on usual sun behaviours and sun protection practices. They were then provided with sun protection equipment and advice. A follow-up questionnaire was administered two weeks later. Mothers reported that during the week prior to the baseline questionnaire, children spent on average less than 1 hour of time outdoors (most often spent in the shade). Most mothers (97%) liked the sun protection equipment. However, many (78 of 86) reported that their child did not like any of the sun protection equipment and two-thirds stated that the sun protection equipment was not easy to use. Among Black Africans in rural northern South Africa, we found a mismatch between parental preferences and child acceptance for using sun protection when outdoors. A better understanding of the health risks of incidental excess sun exposure and potential benefits of sun protection is required among Black Africans.