T Görig1, K Diehl1, R Greinert2,3, E W Breitbart2, S Schneider1. 1. Mannheim Institute of Public Health, Social and Preventive Medicine, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany. 2. Association of Dermatological Prevention, Hamburg, Germany. 3. Center of Dermatology, Elbe Clinics, Buxtehude, Germany.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The incidence rate of melanoma in the Caucasian population is rising worldwide. One of the major environmental risk factors for melanoma is the exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. To prevent skin damage caused by UV exposure, several organizations recommend wearing protective clothing, staying in the shade, avoiding the outdoors during midday and using sunscreen. OBJECTIVE: To provide representative data on factors associated with sun-protective behaviours and intentional sun exposure during summertime in the German population. METHODS: A population-based sample of 3000 German residents aged 14-45 years (response: 32.1%) was interviewed via telephone from October to December 2015. Survey participants provided data on the use of recommended sun-protective measures on a sunny summer day and their intentional sun exposure during summertime. Data were weighted by age, sex, educational level and federal state to ensure the national representativeness of the sample. RESULTS: Wearing long-sleeved clothes was the most frequently reported protective measure (53.9%), while wearing headgear was the least common (17.9%). Significantly lower frequencies of almost all recommended sun-protective measures were identified for males, participants between 14 and 25 years, those with an immigrant background and those with low levels of education. Using sun protection was positively associated with female gender (OR = 1.62), higher levels of education (ORhigh = 1.27), sunburn during childhood (OR = 1.33) and paying attention to healthy nutrition (OR = 1.64; all P < 0.05). Sun tanning behaviour was associated with female gender (OR = 1.42), younger age, lower level of education, sunbed use (OR = 5.24) and smoking status (OR = 1.50; all P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: As individual sun-protective measures are easy to implement and provide effective protection against high-risk UV exposure, campaigns on skin cancer prevention in Germany should put a stronger focus on young adults, men, less educated individuals and those with immigration background.
BACKGROUND: The incidence rate of melanoma in the Caucasian population is rising worldwide. One of the major environmental risk factors for melanoma is the exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. To prevent skin damage caused by UV exposure, several organizations recommend wearing protective clothing, staying in the shade, avoiding the outdoors during midday and using sunscreen. OBJECTIVE: To provide representative data on factors associated with sun-protective behaviours and intentional sun exposure during summertime in the German population. METHODS: A population-based sample of 3000 German residents aged 14-45 years (response: 32.1%) was interviewed via telephone from October to December 2015. Survey participants provided data on the use of recommended sun-protective measures on a sunny summer day and their intentional sun exposure during summertime. Data were weighted by age, sex, educational level and federal state to ensure the national representativeness of the sample. RESULTS: Wearing long-sleeved clothes was the most frequently reported protective measure (53.9%), while wearing headgear was the least common (17.9%). Significantly lower frequencies of almost all recommended sun-protective measures were identified for males, participants between 14 and 25 years, those with an immigrant background and those with low levels of education. Using sun protection was positively associated with female gender (OR = 1.62), higher levels of education (ORhigh = 1.27), sunburn during childhood (OR = 1.33) and paying attention to healthy nutrition (OR = 1.64; all P < 0.05). Sun tanning behaviour was associated with female gender (OR = 1.42), younger age, lower level of education, sunbed use (OR = 5.24) and smoking status (OR = 1.50; all P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: As individual sun-protective measures are easy to implement and provide effective protection against high-risk UV exposure, campaigns on skin cancer prevention in Germany should put a stronger focus on young adults, men, less educated individuals and those with immigration background.
Authors: Caroline G Watts; Martin Drummond; Chris Goumas; Helen Schmid; Bruce K Armstrong; Joanne F Aitken; Mark A Jenkins; Graham G Giles; John L Hopper; Graham J Mann; Anne E Cust Journal: JAMA Dermatol Date: 2018-09-01 Impact factor: 10.282
Authors: Katharina Diehl; Karlijn Thoonen; Eckhard W Breitbart; Annette B Pfahlberg; Tatiana Görig Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-06-04 Impact factor: 4.614
Authors: Bianca Lisa Faria; Christian M Brieske; Ioana Cosgarea; Albert J Omlor; Fabian N Fries; Christian Olber Moreira de Faria; Henrique Augusto Lino; Ana Carla Cruz Oliveira; Oscar Campos Lisboa; Joachim Klode; Dirk Schadendorf; Breno Bernardes-Souza; Titus J Brinker Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2017-12-10 Impact factor: 2.692
Authors: Titus Josef Brinker; Dirk Schadendorf; Joachim Klode; Ioana Cosgarea; Alexander Rösch; Philipp Jansen; Ingo Stoffels; Benjamin Izar Journal: JMIR Mhealth Uhealth Date: 2017-07-26 Impact factor: 4.773
Authors: Titus Josef Brinker; Marlene Heckl; Martina Gatzka; Markus V Heppt; Henrique Resende Rodrigues; Sven Schneider; Wiebke Sondermann; Carolina de Almeida E Silva; Michael C Kirchberger; Joachim Klode; Alexander H Enk; Sarah Knispel; Christof von Kalle; Ingo Stoffels; Dirk Schadendorf; Yasuhiro Nakamura; Stefan Esser; Aisllan Assis; Breno Bernardes-Souza Journal: JMIR Mhealth Uhealth Date: 2018-03-09 Impact factor: 4.773
Authors: Titus Josef Brinker; Bianca Lisa Faria; Martina Gatzka; Olber Moreira de Faria; Markus V Heppt; Michael C Kirchberger; Dirk Schadendorf; Yasuhiro Nakamura; Fabian Buslaff; Oscar Campos Lisboa; Ana Carla Cruz Oliveira; Henrique Augusto Lino; Breno Bernardes-Souza Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2018-03-06 Impact factor: 2.692
Authors: Katharina Diehl; Tatiana Görig; Rüdiger Greinert; Eckhard W Breitbart; Sven Schneider Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2019-10-15 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Titus Josef Brinker; Christian Martin Brieske; Christoph Matthias Schaefer; Fabian Buslaff; Martina Gatzka; Maximilian Philip Petri; Wiebke Sondermann; Dirk Schadendorf; Ingo Stoffels; Joachim Klode Journal: J Med Internet Res Date: 2017-09-08 Impact factor: 5.428