Perceptions and Opinions towards Skin Cancer Prevention in Malaysia: A Qualitative Approach

Introduction: Malignant melanoma in particular is one of the few remaining cancers with an increasingincidence.
Objectives: The objective of this study is to explore the perceptions and opinions of young Malaysianstowards skin cancer prevention. Methodology: Focus group discussions were conducted among 33 medical sciencestudents from Management and Science University (MSU), Shah Alam, Malaysia, using convenience sampling.Students were divided into 4 focus groups consisting of 8, 8, 9 and 8 students respectively. The facilitator wrotedown the conversations and data obtained were classified into various categories and analyzed manually.
Results:The majority of the participants mentioned that overexposure to ultraviolet light is the commonest cause ofskin cancer but also that the most benefit we get from sun ight is vitamin D synthesis. The majority mentionedthat the best prevention measure for skin cancer is using a sunscreen, followed by limit exposure to the sun.
Conclusion: The present study demonstrated there is a lack of knowledge regarding screening methods andprevention measures of skin cancer. Therefore, there is a need to establish health education unit in all universitiesto educate all university students regarding various health problems including skin cancer prevention.