A qualitative study of the knowledge, behaviour and attitudes of patients with skin cancer regarding sunlight exposure and vitamin D

In recent years, UK public health messages about the risks of sunlight exposure (skin cancer) have been increasingly balanced by messages about its benefits (vitamin D production). Currently, data about the effects of this shift on public knowledge, awareness, and behaviour are scant. Thus, the objective of this paper is to report the findings of the first large-scale and representative survey of the awareness, knowledge, and behaviour of adults in Great Britain (England, Scotland, and Wales) (n = 2024) with respect to sunlight exposure, vitamin D, and sunburn and skin cancer. The findings suggest that the public in Great Britain is much more aware of public promotion of the risks of sunlight exposure than its benefits. That said, knowledge about sunlight exposure and vitamin D is fairly strong, though not with respect to the detail of the ‘little and often’ approach. However, the survey also suggests that levels of sunlight exposure among the public are often excessive. The survey indicates that knowledge and behaviour are both less satisfactory among men and people in lower socio-economic groups. The paper concludes with recommendations for public health communications and for research in this area.

Download Full-text

Vitamin D status and its relation with insulin resistance and VDR-FokI polymorphism in Iranian non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) patients: a case-control study

10.21203/rs.2.10291/v2 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Fatemeh Rezaiian ◽

Sayed Hossein Davoodi ◽

Bahareh Nikooyeh ◽

Amir Houshang Ehsani ◽

Ali Kalayi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Insulin Resistance ◽

Vitamin D ◽

Skin Cancer ◽

Case Control Study ◽

Sunlight Exposure ◽

Vitamin D Status ◽

Fasting Serum ◽

Non Melanoma Skin Cancer ◽

Control Study ◽

Melanoma Skin

Abstract Background: Sunlight exposure, the main source of endogenous vitamin D synthesis, may increase the risk of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) development. Vitamin D receptor (VDR) polymorphisms are associated with 25(OH)D levels, cancer development and insulin resistance. This study was aimed to examine the associations among vitamin D status, VDR FokI polymorphism, insulin resistance and NMSC. Methods: This case-control study included 73 diagnosed cases of NMSC and 72 healthy controls from dermatology clinics at Razi Hospital, Tehran, Iran. A questionnaire was used to assess sunlight exposure. The extracted DNA from whole blood samples were genotyped. Fasting serum 25-hydroxyvitaminD (25(OH)D)), lipid profile, glucose, and insulin were measured. To evaluate insulin resistance, HOMA-IR formula was used. Results: We found a significant higher duration of cumulative sunlight exposure in cases compared with controls (p<0.001). However, 25(OH)D concentrations were not significantly different between cases and controls (30±15 vs. 29±15 ng/mL, p=0.78). Higher levels of insulin (p = 0.004) and HOMA-IR score (p= 0.019) were observed in Ff and ff genotype of FokI. We did not observe any significant increased risk of NMSC due to f allele, as compared with FF (OR =2.33, 95% CI 0.81-6.75, p=0.12). The components of lipid profile, fasting serum glucose, iPTH and anthropometric measures did not differ significantly across VDR genotypes. Conclusion: In conclusion, sunlight exposure was associated with NMSC risk. VDR FokI polymorphisms appears to influence insulin resistance in the NMSC patients. Keywords: sun exposure; non-melanoma skin cancer; polymorphisms; insulin resistance

Download Full-text

VITAMIN D LEVELS, VITAMIN D INTAKE AND SUNLIGHT EXPOSURE IN PEDIATRIC MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

Neuropediatrics ◽

10.1055/s-2006-945647 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 37 (S 1) ◽

Author(s):

R Hung ◽

R Vieth ◽

R Goldman ◽

E Sochett ◽

B Banwell

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Vitamin D ◽

Sunlight Exposure ◽

Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Vitamin D Intake ◽

Vitamin D Levels

Download Full-text

Faculty Opinions recommendation of From the bench to emerging new clinical concepts: Our present understanding of the importance of the vitamin D endocrine system (VDES) for skin cancer.

Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature ◽

10.3410/f.10529956.11376054 ◽

2011 ◽

Author(s):

Daniel Bikle

Keyword(s):

Vitamin D ◽

Skin Cancer ◽

Endocrine System ◽

Present Understanding

Download Full-text

The psychotropic effect of vitamin D supplementation on schizophrenia symptoms

BMC Psychiatry ◽

10.1186/s12888-021-03308-w ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Aras Neriman ◽

Yilmaz Hakan ◽

Ucuncu Ozge

Keyword(s):

Vitamin D ◽

Negative Symptoms ◽

Metabolic Diseases ◽

Wisconsin Card Sorting Test ◽

Sunlight Exposure ◽

Antipsychotic Treatment ◽

Serum 25Ohd ◽

Vitamin D Receptors ◽

Vitamin D Levels ◽

The Mean

Abstract Background Schizophrenia is a multifactorial disease involving interactions between genetic and environmental factors. Vitamin D has recently been linked to many metabolic diseases and schizophrenia. Vitamin D plays essential roles in the brain in the context of neuroplasticity, neurotransmitter biosynthesis, neuroprotection, and neurotransmission. Vitamin D receptors are demonstrated in most brain regions that are related to schizophrenia. However, very few studies in the literature examine the effects of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) on schizophrenia symptoms. Methods This study aimed to examine the effects of vitamin D replacement on positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia. Serum 25OHD levels of 52 schizophrenia patients were measured. SANS and SAPS were used to evaluate the severity of schizophrenia symptoms, and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test: CV4 was used for cognitive assessment. The study was completed with 40 patients for various reasons. The patients whose serum 25OHD reached optimal levels after vitamin D replacement were reevaluated with the same scales in terms of symptom severity. The SPSS 25 package program was used for statistical analysis. The Independent-Samples t-test was used to examine the relationship between the variables that may affect vitamin D levels and the vitamin D level and to examine whether vitamin D levels had an initial effect on the scale scores. Results The mean plasma 25OHD levels of the patients was 17.87 ± 5.54. A statistically significant relationship was found only between the duration of sunlight exposure and 25 OHD level (p < 0.05). The mean SANS and SAPS scores of the participants after 25OHD replacement (23.60 ± 15.51 and 7.78 ± 8.84, respectively) were statistically significantly lower than mean SANS and SAPS scores before replacement (51.45 ± 17.96 and 18.58 ± 15.59, respectively) (p < 0.001 for all). Only the total attention score was significantly improved after replacement (p < 0.05). Conclusion The data obtained from our study suggest that eliminating the 25OHD deficiency together with antipsychotic treatment can improve the total attention span and positive and negative symptoms in schizophrenia. The 25OHD levels should be regularly measured, replacement should be started when necessary, and the patients should be encouraged to get sunlight exposure to keep optimal 25OHD levels.

Download Full-text