| Objective:To evaluate the influence of normal sun protection education on the sun exposure habits of the photosensitive patients and to assess the preventive and therapeutic effects of this education for the chronic actinic dermatitis(CAD) and polymorphous light eruption(PLE).Methods:The patients with CAD or PLE were assigned to either control group or intervention group by the random digits table.Usual suggestions about sun protection methods were provided to all the subjects at their visits and all the subjects could voluntarily charge of free broad-spectrum sunscreen(SPF30+,PA+++) in the whole study year.The intervention group was given two normal sun protection educations in addition.The first education was held at the beginning of spring by lecture about the knowledge of ultraviolet radiation,the introduction of photosensitive diseases (including CAD and PLE),the normal sun protection methods and the knowledge of sunscreen.The education manual was given out to the intervention group at the same time.The other reinforced sun protection lecture was held at the beginning of summer All the subjects completed an interview at enrollment and at 12 months after enrollment.Both interviews included a questionnaire about sun exposure habits and a questionnaire about severity and therapy of CAD/PLE in the past year.The intervention group completed another interview about sun exposure habits at 1 month after the first normal sun protection education.SPSS 11.5 was used for statistical analysis.Results 1:①At 1 month after the first sun protection education,the light exposure habits(self-control of sun exposure time,shadow seeking behavior,avoidance of man-made ultraviolet source),the physical sun protection behaviors(the usage of sunglasses,the cognition and usage of proper clothing) and the usage of sunscreen (the frequency,the location and the dosage) of the intervention group improved significantly from haseline(p＜0.01).②At 6 months after reinforced education,the cognition and usage of proper clothing and the shadow seeking behavior further improved and had statistical significance compared with those behavior at 1 months after normal education(p＜0.05).③At 1 year after enrollment,the light exposure habits,the physical sun protection behavior and the proper usage of sunscreen of the intervention group improved significantly compared with that of the control group (p＜0.01).Results 2:①The severity degree of CAD(the number of the patients with persistent eruption for whole year,the number of the patients with generalized lesions, cumulative exacerbation time) was significantly different between pre- and post-intervention(p＜0.05).And in the study year,the severity degree of CAD in the intervention group decreased statistically compared with that in the control group (p＜0.05).②The need of drug treatment and the health care cost of the patients with CAD in the intervention group were significantly different between pre- and post-intervention(p＜0.05).And in the study year,the need of drug treatment and the health care cost of the patients with CAD in the intervention group decreased statistically compared with that in the control group(p＜0.05).Results 3:①The severity degree of PLE(the number of months with eruption in the preceding year,the times lesions provoked,the seasons with eruption,the facial incidence,the duration of sun exposure required to provoke the eruption) was significantly different between pre- and post-intervention(p＜0.05).And in the study year,the severity degree of PLE in the intervention group decreased statistically compared with that in the control group(p＜0.05).②The need of drug treatment and the health care cost of the patients with PLE in the intervention group were significantly different between pre- and post-intervention(p＜0.01).And in the study year,the need of drug treatment and the health care cost of the patients with PLE in the intervention group decreased statistically compared with that in the control group (p＜0.05).Conclusion:Normal sun protection education including two lectures and education manual was a more effective way of improving sun protection habits of the photosensitive patients.With improvement of sun protection behaviors in the study year,the severity of CAD/PLE decreased,the need of drug treatment and health care cost were also reduced.This study suggested that more attention to sun protection education should be taken by the dermatologists in the treatment of photosensitive diseases.
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