{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,18]],"date-time":"2026-06-18T14:32:35Z","timestamp":1781793155472,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":49,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,7,21]],"date-time":"2022-07-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1658361600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Current Oncology"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Decreased illness perception among actinic keratoses (AK) patients is a major barrier to the effective management of AK. Objective: We aimed to investigate patients\u2019 illness and treatment perceptions, their correlation to demographics and AK\/skin cancer history, and secondarily the influence of these perspectives on treatment and sunscreen use. Materials and Methods: Participants completed questionnaires based on the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire and statistical analysis was performed. Results: In total, 208 AK patients were enrolled. A large proportion were poorly aware of the disease (41.4%), with less than half (43%) being familiar with AK. Patients were aware of the chronic nature of the disease and its correlation to sunlight regardless of demographic characteristics. The level of education played a role in disease awareness (p = 0.006), and treatment plan perception (p = 0.002). The increase in sunscreen protection after AK diagnosis was higher in women (p = 0.009) and younger patients (p = 0.044). Patients\u2019 concerns regarding treatment were mainly related to the duration (30%) and effectivity (25%). Dermatologists\u2019 statements highlighting that AK are precancerous lesions (86.2%) influenced patients\u2019 willingness for treatment. Conclusion: Improved awareness of AK is necessary to increase treatment seeking and compliance, regarding both treatment and sunscreen use. Dermatologists\u2019 statements may have critical influence on patients\u2019 decisions to receive treatment for AK.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/curroncol29070408","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,7,21]],"date-time":"2022-07-21T10:36:56Z","timestamp":1658399816000},"page":"5150-5163","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":7,"title":["Actinic Keratoses (AK): An Exploratory Questionnaire-Based Study of Patients\u2019 Illness Perceptions"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"29","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0009-8821","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Dimitrios","family":"Sgouros","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"2nd Department of Dermatology-Venereology, \u201cAttikon\u201d General University Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Adamantia","family":"Milia-Argyti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"1st Department of Dermatology-Venereology, Andreas Sygros Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 16121 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Dimitrios K.","family":"Arvanitis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"2nd Department of Dermatology-Venereology, \u201cAttikon\u201d General University Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Eleni","family":"Polychronaki","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"1st Department of Dermatology-Venereology, Andreas Sygros Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 16121 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Fiori","family":"Kousta","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"1st Department of Dermatology-Venereology, Andreas Sygros Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 16121 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Antonios","family":"Panagiotopoulos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"1st Department of Dermatology-Venereology, Andreas Sygros Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 16121 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sofia","family":"Theotokoglou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"2nd Department of Dermatology-Venereology, \u201cAttikon\u201d General University Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Anna","family":"Syrmali","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"2nd Department of Dermatology-Venereology, \u201cAttikon\u201d General University Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Konstantinos","family":"Theodoropoulos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"2nd Department of Dermatology-Venereology, \u201cAttikon\u201d General University Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alexander","family":"Stratigos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"1st Department of Dermatology-Venereology, Andreas Sygros Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 16121 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Dimitrios","family":"Rigopoulos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"1st Department of Dermatology-Venereology, Andreas Sygros Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 16121 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alexander","family":"Katoulis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"2nd Department of Dermatology-Venereology, \u201cAttikon\u201d General University Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,7,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Griffiths, C., Barker, J., Bleiker, T., Chalmers, R., and Creamer, C. 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