Awareness, knowledge, and attitudes towards sun protection among patients with melanoma and atypical mole syndrome

Table 1 Demographic and clinical characteristics of 121 patients who were included in our study

	Patients with a PMH of MM, n = 26/121 (21.5%)	Patients with AMS, n = 47/121 (38.8%)	Control group, n = 48/121 (39.7%)	All participants, n = 121	P value
Mean age (± SD)	45.65 (± 12.61)	43.21 (± 12.61)	43.67 (± 12.65)	43.92 (± 12.55)	0.88
Gender, n (%)					0.39
Male	10/26 (38.5)	25/47 (53.2)	20/48 (41.7)	55/121 (45.5)
Female	16/26 (61.5)	22/47 (46.8)	28/48 (58.3)	66/121 (54.5)
Employment Status, n (%)					0.40
Student	2/26 (7.7)	3/47 (6.4)	2/48 (4.2)	7/121 (5.8)
Employed	16/26 (61.5)	36/47 (76.6)	33/48 (68.8)	85/121 (70.2)
Unemployed	2/26 (7.7)	4/47 (8.5)	7/48 (14.6)	13/121 (10.7)
Retired	5/26 (19.2)	3/47 (6.4)	3/48 (6.3)	11/121 (9.1)
Housewife	1/26 (3.8)	1/47 (2.1)	3/48 (6.3)	5/121 (4.1)
Educational level, n (%)					0.61
Elementary school	9/26 (34.6)	1/47 (2.1)	3/48 (6.3)	4/121 (3.3)
High school	0/26 (0)	20/47 (42.6)	21/48 (43.8)	50/121 (41.3)
Technical studies	6/26 (23.1)	8/47 (17)	5/48 (10.4)	19/121 (15.7)
University level	11/26 (42.3)	18/47 (38.3)	19/48 (39.6)	48/121 (39.7)
Fitzpatrick skin phototype, n (%)					0.81
Skin type I (Always burns, does not tan)	0/26 (0)	2/47 (4.3)	2/48 (4.2)	4/121 (3.3)
Skin type II (Burns easily, tans poorly)	10/26 (38.5)	14/47 (29.8)	15/48 (31.3)	39/121 (32.2)
Skin type III (Tans after initial burn)	14/26 (53.8)	24/47 (51.1)	22/48 (45.8)	60/121 (49.6)
Skin type IV (Burns minimally, tans easily)	2/26 (7.7)	7/47 (14.9)	9/48 (18.8)	18/121 (14.9)
BMI (± SD)	25.07 (± 4.06)	26.92 (± 5.12)	25.58 (± 5.20)	25.99 (± 4.96)	0.281
Eye colour, n (%)					0.466
Dark	1/26 (3.8)	2/47 (4.3)	5/48 (10.4)	8/121 (6.6)
Brown	16/26 (61.5)	31/47 (66)	31/48 (64.4)	78/121 (64.5)
Blue	3/26 (11.5)	9/47 (19.1)	5/48 (10.4)	17/121 (14)
Green	6/26 (23.1)	5/47 (10.6)	7/48 (14.6)	18/121 (18)
Natural hair color, n (%)					0.649
Red	0/26 (0)	1/47 (2.1)	0/48 (0)	1/121 (0.8)
Blond	5/26 (19.2)	6/47 (12.8)	8/48 (16.7)	19/121 (15.7)
Brown	16/26 (61.5)	34/47 (72.3)	28/48 (58.3)	78/121 (64.5)
Black	5/26 (19.2)	6/47 (12.8)	12/48 (25)	23/121 (19)
Number of naevi, n (%)					0.000
< 25 naevi	9/26 (34.6)	0/47 (0)	23/48 (47.9)	32/121 (26.4)
25-50 naevi	8/26 (30.8)	2/47 (4.3)	12/48 (25)	22/121 (18.2)
50-100 naevi	3/26 (11.5)	11/47 (23.4)	7/48 (14.6)	21/121 (17.4)
100 naevi	6/26 (23.1)	34/47 (72.3)	6/48 (12.5)	46/121 (38)
Smoking status, n (%)
Current smoker	8/26 (30.8)	15/47 (31.9)	9/48 (18.8)	32/121 (26.4)	0.198
No smoker	15/26 (57.7)	25/47 (53.2)	28/48 (58.3)	68/121 (56.2)
Ex-smoker	3/26 (11.5)	7/47 (14.9)	11/48 (22.9)	21/121 (17.4)
Sunburn before the age of 18, n (%)					0.000
No	9/26 (34.6)	30/47 (63.8)	40/48 (83.3)	79/121 (65.3)
Yes	17/26 (65.4)	17/47 (36.2)	8/48 (16.7)	42/121 (34.7)
Leisure sun exposure, n (%)					0.393
No	17/26 (65.4)	31/47 (66)	38/48 (79.2)	86/121 (71.1)
Yes	9/26 (34.6)	16/47 (34)	10/48 (20.8)	35/121 (28.9)
Occupational sun exposure, n (%)					0.35
No	19/26 (73.1)	27/47 (57.4)	30/48 (62.5)	76/121 (62.8)
Yes	7/26 (26.9)	20/47 (42.6)	18/48 (37.5)	45/121 (37.2)
Significant time spent outdoors, n (%)					0.356
No	11/26 (42.3)	24/47 (51.1)	28/48 (58.3)	63/121 (52.1)
Yes	15/26 (57.7)	23/47 (48.9)	20/48 (42.7)	58/121 (47.9)
Mean weeks of vacation spent before the age of 10 (± SD)	7.35 ± 5.61	6.87 ± 5	7.42 ± 4.36	7.19 ± 4.86	0.7444
Mean weeks of vacation spent before from the age of 11 till 18 (± SD)	6.12 ± 4.27	6.38 ± 4.44	6.94 ± 4.20	6.55 ± 4.29	0.740
Mean weeks of vacation spent after the age of 18 (± SD)	3.92 ± 2.1	4.02 ± 2.77	4.98 ± 4.35	4.39 ± 3.40	0.806

AMS: Atypical mole syndrome; PMH: Past medical history; MM: Malignant melanoma; SD: Standard deviation; BMI: Body mass index.