Assessment of a new questionnaire for self-reported sun sensitivity in an occupational skin cancer screening program
2008

New Questionnaire for Sun Sensitivity Assessment

Sample size: 745 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Jürgen Tacke, Jens Dietrich, Beatrix Steinebrunner, Antonius Reifferscheid

Primary Institution: Joint Group Practice Dermatology, Cologne, Germany

Hypothesis

Can a new questionnaire effectively assess self-reported sun sensitivity in an occupational skin cancer screening program?

Conclusion

The RTS questionnaire is a reliable and valid tool for assessing sun sensitivity, showing good agreement with the Fitzpatrick classification.

Supporting Evidence

  • The RTS-score showed a reliability coefficient of 0.82, indicating good internal consistency.
  • 75% of the RTS-score classifications matched the Fitzpatrick skin types.
  • The study included a diverse age range, with significant representation from various age groups.

Takeaway

This study created a simple questionnaire to help people understand how sensitive their skin is to the sun, which can help prevent skin cancer.

Methodology

Participants filled out a questionnaire assessing sun sensitivity before a skin cancer screening, and the RTS-score was calculated based on their responses.

Potential Biases

The study may have selection bias as participants were employees who might be healthier than the general population.

Limitations

The study participants were not a random sample of the general population, which may affect the generalizability of the results.

Participant Demographics

The study included 745 white employees aged 18 to 65, with 58% women and 42% men.

Statistical Information

P-Value

0.001

Confidence Interval

95% CI: -1.99 to -0.42

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1471-5945-8-4

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