Awareness of the Effect of Environmental Factors on Skin Among Students at Jouf University, Saudi Arabia

Background: Skin health is fundamental to all age groups, particularly the youth. Aim: To investigate the level of awareness of university students about the effects of environmental factors on the skin and to examine their skin care practices. Methods: An online questionnaire was distributed to all students attending Jouf University. Results: 506 students agreed to participate in the study. There was high participation from the health sector colleges (56.7%), and 82.4% and 80.4% of participants, respectively, agreed that pesticides and detergents could harm the skin. Only 50.4% believed that stress affects skin sensitivity. For skin protection, 85.57% identified sunscreen use as a protective measure (knowledge), whereas only 70.4% reported actually using sunscreen (practice). Furthermore, more than 50% of participants have positive attitudes towards the importance of skin care and follow good practices, while 72.3% achieved high-level knowledge (mean score: 3.25 out of 4.00) 72.3% have satisfactory knowledge (3.25 out of 4). The mean practice score was 27.67/44, and only 40.5% reached a high level of practice (≥70% of maximum score). There was a significant association between female gender and the use of sunscreen (p < 0.001). Nonetheless, nearly 40% of participants do not care for their skin regularly. Conclusion: There is a good level of awareness among university students regarding the effect of environmental factors on skin; however, this level remains unsatisfactory considering the importance of this issue. Educational campaigns are required to improve skin care practices among the youth.