BACKGROUND: Sun exposure is the main etiology of skin cancer. Differences in skin cancer incidence have been observed between rural and urban populations. OBJECTIVES: As sun exposure begins in childhood, we examined summer UVR exposure doses and sun behavior in children resident in urban, suburban, and rural areas. METHODS: Personal, electronic UVR dosimeters and sun behavior diaries were used during a summer (3.5 months) by 150 children (4-19 years of age) resident in urban, suburban, and rural areas. RESULTS: On school/kindergarten days rural children spent more time outdoors and received higher UVR doses than urban and suburban children (rural: median 2.3 h per day, median 0.9 SED per day, urban: median 1.3 h per day, median 0.3 SED per day, suburban: median 1.5 h per day, median 0.4 SED per day) (p ≤ 0.007). Urban and suburban children exhibited a more intermittent sun exposure pattern than rural children. Differences in UVR exposure doses were from high exposure days (e.g. beach days) outside Denmark. Suburban children had a total UVR exposure similar to rural children (suburban: median 109.4 SED, rural: median 103.1 SED), with days spent abroad contributing greatly to the total UVR exposure dose (total UVR on days spent abroad: suburban: median 48.0 SED, rural: median 8.0 SED). CONCLUSIONS: Differences in sun exposure patterns exist between children from different areas and may be the background for higher skin cancer incidences in urban populations.
BACKGROUND: Sun exposure is the main etiology of skin cancer. Differences in skin cancer incidence have been observed between rural and urban populations. OBJECTIVES: As sun exposure begins in childhood, we examined summer UVR exposure doses and sun behavior in children resident in urban, suburban, and rural areas. METHODS: Personal, electronic UVR dosimeters and sun behavior diaries were used during a summer (3.5 months) by 150 children (4-19 years of age) resident in urban, suburban, and rural areas. RESULTS: On school/kindergarten days rural children spent more time outdoors and received higher UVR doses than urban and suburban children (rural: median 2.3 h per day, median 0.9 SED per day, urban: median 1.3 h per day, median 0.3 SED per day, suburban: median 1.5 h per day, median 0.4 SED per day) (p ≤ 0.007). Urban and suburban children exhibited a more intermittent sun exposure pattern than rural children. Differences in UVR exposure doses were from high exposure days (e.g. beach days) outside Denmark. Suburban children had a total UVR exposure similar to rural children (suburban: median 109.4 SED, rural: median 103.1 SED), with days spent abroad contributing greatly to the total UVR exposure dose (total UVR on days spent abroad: suburban: median 48.0 SED, rural: median 8.0 SED). CONCLUSIONS: Differences in sun exposure patterns exist between children from different areas and may be the background for higher skin cancer incidences in urban populations.
Authors: Suzana M Blesić; Đorđe I Stratimirović; Jelena V Ajtić; Caradee Y Wright; Martin W Allen Journal: J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol Date: 2016-08-24 Impact factor: 5.563
Authors: Yelena P Wu; Bridget Parsons; Yeonjung Jo; Jonathan Chipman; Benjamin Haaland; Elizabeth S Nagelhout; James Carrington; Ali P Wankier; Hannah Brady; Douglas Grossman Journal: Prev Med Rep Date: 2022-07-21
Authors: Elizabeth S Nagelhout; Riley Lensink; Angela Zhu; Bridget G Parsons; Benjamin Haaland; Mia Hashibe; Douglas Grossman; James VanDerslice; Lisa H Gren; Jakob D Jensen; Yelena P Wu Journal: J Community Health Date: 2021-02