Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
2. Uluslararası 21. Yüzyılda Sağlık Bilimleri Kongres, Aydın, Türkiye, 5 - 07 Kasım 2025, ss.895, (Özet Bildiri)
ABSTRACT Background: Age-related skin changes may increase the susceptibility of older adults to ultraviolet (UV)-induced skin cancer. Additionally, the presence of chronic diseases and lower activity levels among older adults may negatively affect their self-management and overall health. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate whether the level of patient activation affects sun protection behaviors among older adults. Method: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted with 192 older adults between December 2024 and May 2025 in the outpatient clinic of a university hospital. Data were collected using the “Patient Information Form,” the “Patient Activation Measure (PAM),” and the “Sun Protection Behavior Scale.” Quantitative variables were summarized as mean, standard deviation, minimum, and maximum; qualitative variables as numbers and percentages. Differences among three or more groups were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test, and relationships between variables were examined with Pearson correlation analysis. Results: More than half of the participants were female (56.8%), and half were primary school graduates. The majority (84.4%) had no perceived risk of skin cancer, and 22.4% had diabetes. The mean Patient Activation Measure score was 63.90 ± 12.13 (range: 31.70–100.00), with most participants (35.4%) at activation level 4. The mean Sun Protection Behavior score was 26.32 ± 5.53 (range: 11.00–40.00). A positive correlation was found between patient activation scores and sun protection subscale scores, while a negative correlation was observed between activation scores and the hat-wearing subscale. Conclusion: The findings indicate that higher patient activation levels are associated with better sun protection behaviors, although an inverse relationship exists between activation level and hat-wearing behavior. Supporting active lifestyles in older adults may contribute to the development of sun protection awareness and behaviors. Keywords: elderly, patient activation, sun protection, skin cancer