Evaluation of medical students' knowledge and their adherence to safety measures regarding solar ultraviolet exposure

ABSTRACT

Ultraviolet radiation, a type of electromagnetic radiation, can be released by both artificial and natural sources, including the sun. It is imperative to adopt the appropriate safety measures when close to an ultraviolet radiation source, as unprotected UV radiation exposure has been associated with a higher risk of developing various illnesses, such as skin tumors. This study aims to evaluate undergraduate medical students' knowledge of potential hazards from UV radiation exposure and their practice of safety measures. A cross-sectional study was conducted at Omar Al-Mukhtar University, Al-Beyda City, Libya. One hundred and nine medical students were involved in this study. The questionnaire examined participants' knowledge of and behavior toward potential risks associated with ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure. Notably, 77.1% of them were female, and 22.9% were male. The majority of the respondents were more than 22 years old. Above half, 59.6% showed moderate knowledge about UV exposure consequences; most of the students, 91%, knew the side effects of UV on health, followed by 86%, who indicated that UV can cause premature aging and cancer. In contrast, less than a third knew that UV has a negative impact on the immune system, and about two-thirds (73.9%) didn't realize that sunburn can occur even on a cloudy day. Although medical students showed a moderate level of knowledge regarding UV radiation, there was a lack of active sun safety measures: