Background: The disease burden of actinic keratoses and keratinocyte carcinoma can be reduced by primary and secondary prevention. However, these measures are often poorly received, especially among the high-risk group of outdoor workers.
Objectives: The aim of this follow-up study was to investigate whether an improvement in sun protection and awareness of skin changes could be observed among the study population, especially outdoor workers, one year after a prevention campaign focusing on this topic.
Materials and methods: In 2017, all participants who initially participated in a study at the Bavarian Central Agricultural Festival 2016 and agreed to participate in the follow-up study were contacted by mail and received the same questionnaire and evaluation questions regarding possible behavioral changes.
Results: A total of 400 people took part in the follow-up study (response rate 52.8%). Of the 240 outdoor workers, 45.0% said they were more conscious of protecting themselves from the sun and 68.8% said they were more aware of skin changes. About 85.0% of outdoor workers indicated that they would consult a dermatologist earlier and 65.8% desired further prevention campaigns regarding skin cancer and sun protection.
Conclusion: Overall, the majority of participants reported that they had improved sun protection behavior and awareness of skin changes after the intervention. Based on the participants' self-disclosure, especially outdoor workers tended to use sun protection measure more frequently. These findings underline the importance of target group-oriented awareness and prevention campaigns to reduce the burden of skin cancer.
Keywords: Actinic keratoses; High-risk group; Keratinocyte carcinoma; Primary prevention; Sun protection.