HEALTH EDUCATION ON SKIN CANCER FOR RURAL POPULATIONS: NURSING INTERVENTION STRATEGIES

Abstract

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in Brazil, especially among rural workers due to high sun exposure. The lack of knowledge about prevention and early diagnosis increases the risks, especially in hard-to-reach areas. In this context, nurses play a fundamental role in health education, promoting prevention and self-care. The research question is: what are the most effective nursing intervention strategies to promote skin cancer prevention in rural populations? The general objective is to analyze health education strategies aimed at prevention and early detection of skin cancer in rural populations through an integrative literature review. The research used a qualitative approach, based on an integrative literature review. The PubMed, SciELO and LILACS databases were selected to search for studies between 2014 and 2024. In total, seventy-nine materials were found and, after the complete reading, five studies were considered eligible because they met the inclusion criteria and were directly related to health education strategies, prevention and early detection of skin cancer in rural populations. The structure is organized into: introduction, objectives, theoretical framework, methodology, analysis and discussion of the results and conclusions of the study. The analyses reveal that rural populations are more susceptible to skin cancer because they have less access to information and preventive behaviors and difficulties in accessibility by nursing teams. Strategies such as teledermatology and educational materials have proven effective in promoting early diagnosis and education of this population, as well as the use of sunscreen and PPE for prevention.