Evaluation of Personal Solar UV Exposure in a Group of Italian Dockworkers and Fishermen, and Assessment of Changes in Sun Protection Behaviours After a Sun-Safety Training

Studies have established ultraviolet (UV) exposure with increased melanoma skin cancer risk. The combination of UV exposure, high altitude, and reflection of UV rays on the snow may create a particularly relevant and high-risk population amongst those who participate in snow sports. The current study aims to determine the effectiveness of a UV-photography and personalized counseling-based intervention to improve sun protection awareness on the snow sport enthusiast population. Participants were recruited at the 2013 SnowSports Industries American (SIA) Snow Show in Denver to complete a 14 question pre-survey assessing sun-safety awareness followed by a Faraghan Medical Elise Digital UV Camera photograph of their face and counseling regarding individual results. Participants were contacted one to two months later by telephone to complete a ten question post-survey. Forty-one percent of participants (46/112) completed both pre- and post-surveys. The UV photography based intervention influenced the opinions and behaviors of sun protection in 78% of male and 62% of female participants with sunscreen use identified as the most frequently modified behavior (53%). While valid barriers to UV photography use include a current lack of reimbursement and lack of public knowledge of its utility, our study indicates the potential impact of UV photography-based interventions among high-risk populations who avidly participate in snow sports.

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The impact of ultraviolet photography on the sun safety awareness and behavior of skiers and snowboarders

Journal of Epidemiological Research ◽

10.5430/jer.v2n1p9 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 9 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Darren Lynn ◽

Trevor Jones ◽

Jacob Whitsitt ◽

Ritika Trikha ◽

Megan J. Schlichte ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Response Rate ◽

Sun Protection ◽

Positive Influence ◽

Uv Exposure ◽

Safety Behavior ◽

Post Intervention ◽

Sun Safety ◽

Safety Awareness ◽

Uv Photography ◽

And Behavior

Objective: Snow sport enthusiasts, such as snowboarders and skiers, are a less studied population at significant risk for ultraviolet(UV) exposure due to long hours spent at high altitudes with more intense UV radiation. Studies have documented the efficacy ofUV photography to impact sun protection habits by individuals with a range of skin cancer risk factors. Informing snow sportenthusiasts of their sun damage through UV photography may be a way to change this population’s perception and behavior of sun protection.Methods: A UV camera was utilized at the 2013 SnowSports Industries America Snow Show in Colorado to assess the levelof accumulated sun damage in show attendees. A follow-up survey was performed at this same event one year later in 2014. Participants at the 2013 event were recruited to a UV camera booth and completed a ten-question pre-survey assessing baselinesun-safety awareness and behaviors. Full-face frontal photographs using two different UV camera models were then takenand shown on a digital screen to the participants. Individualized education was provided regarding the degree of sun damage revealed by the intervention as well as sun safety recommendations. Participants were at the 2013 event were then contacted viaemail six months later to complete a ten-question survey on surveymonkey.com. The survey assessed the permanence of the UV photography intervention on sun habits over the duration of the ski/snowboard season. Email was used for communication purposes after a poor response rate using telephone for a one-month post-intervention follow-up.Results: The 2013 post-intervention study revealed a 41% response rate (n=46) with overall positive influence of UV photographyon sun protection behavior in the survey. Post-intervention survey results for the 2014 study with an observed response rate of 28% (n=37) with a similar overall positive influence of our intervention on sun protection behavior.Conclusions: UV photography-based interventions and education may impact sun-safety behavior in high-risk populations such as skiers and snowboarders that may otherwise not receive appropriate education regarding the dangers of UV exposure and prevention of skin cancer. However, more controlled studies should be conducted to positively associate UV photography intervention and education and sun safety behavior.

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A qualitative exploration of parental perceptions regarding children’s sun exposure, sun protection, and sunburn

10.31234/osf.io/f8brk ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Karlijn Thoonen ◽

Liesbeth van Osch ◽

Rowan Drittij ◽

Hein de Vries ◽

Francine Schneider

Keyword(s):

Skin Cancer ◽

Sun Exposure ◽

Structured Interview ◽

Sun Protection ◽

Parental Perceptions ◽

Skin Cancer Prevention ◽

Protection Measure ◽

Sun Safety ◽

Protection Measures ◽

Lack Of Knowledge

Sun protection among children is of utmost importance since sunburn in early life is a major risk factor for skin cancer development. Because parents play a vital role in enhancing sun safety among children, this study explored parental perceptions concerning sun exposure, sun protection behaviors, and sunburn in children. Additionally, the context in which children experience sunburn in order to assist the development, optimization, and targeting of sun safety interventions for parents is revealed.A qualitative study design, using a semi-structured interview guide addressing several themes (e.g. sun exposure, sun protection, and sunburn experiences), was used. Data were collected in the Netherlands in the fall of 2019. Parents were recruited via purposive sampling at schools, youth services centers, and social media. In total, 26 interviews were performed. Execution, transcription, and coding of the interviews was done by two researchers, using the qualitative analyzing program Nvivo (interrater reliability of d =.84). Comprehensive findings concerning various themes were retrieved. It was found that sunburn was frequently prevalent among children, even though all parents reported using at least one sun protection measure. Parents were often unaware of their child’s sunburn and its severity. Regarding sun protection measures, parents demonstrated an overreliance on sunscreen, often failing to adequately protect their children’s skin. Water-related activities, a lack of shade, and lack of knowledge regarding UV-index were often related to sunburn. Moreover, unexpected sun exposure or longer exposure duration than initially planned were reported as challenging situations. The majority of parents had positive perceptions regarding tanned skin for both themselves as for children.This study provides directions for future skin cancer prevention efforts targeted at both parents and their children. Since a lack of knowledge regarding sufficient sun protection measures and sunburn occurrence in various situations was reported, educational efforts are warranted. Additionally, focusing on clothing, shade-seeking, and adequate sunscreen use is recommended to increase children’s sun safety. By intervening in the physical environment as well (e.g. providing shady areas), sun protection barriers can be reduced. Lastly, the general positive attitude toward tanned skin evident in this study is certainly worthy of attention in future interventions.

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Identification of socio-cognitive determinants of parental sun protection behaviors to optimize intervention development

10.31234/osf.io/yuqzd ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Karlijn Thoonen ◽

Liesbeth van Osch ◽

Rik Crutzen ◽

Hein de Vries ◽

Francine Schneider

Keyword(s):

Skin Cancer ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Sun Exposure ◽

Action Planning ◽

Later Life ◽

Sun Protection ◽

Survey Study ◽

Skin Cancer Prevention ◽

Sun Safety ◽

Cognitive Determinants

Background: Adequate sun safety during childhood is crucial for decreasing skin cancer risk in later life. Although parents are an essential target group in applying sun protection measures for their children, interventions are often not directed at parents. This study identifies the most relevant determinants in predicting parental sun protection intentions and behaviors to provide guidance for future intervention development.Methods: A longitudinal survey study with two measurements was conducted among Dutch parents (N=670) of children (4-12 years old). Twenty-seven socio-cognitive determinants were examined in terms of relevance regarding four parental sun protection behaviors in different sun exposure situations. The CIBER approach was used to visualize room for improvement (sample means) on all determinants and their association strengths (correlations) with sun protection intentions and behaviors.Results: Behavior-specific rather than generic determinants were most relevant in explaining all sun protection behaviors. Of these determinants, attitude, self-efficacy and action planning, and especially parental feelings of difficulty in performing sun protection behaviors, were most relevant. Altogether, the explained variance of all socio-cognitive determinants was highest for shade-seeking behavior (R2= .41 and .43) and lowest for supportive behavior (R2=.19 and .29) in both planned and incidental sun exposure situations respectively.Discussion: This study provides detailed insight into relevant socio-cognitive determinants of parental sun protection behaviors in various sun exposure situations. This insight provides guidance for composing parental skin cancer prevention interventions. Future composition of sun safety interventions should emphasize on enhancing parental feelings of self-efficacy, especially for shade-seeking and clothing behaviors.

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Identification of Relevant Sociocognitive Determinants Explaining Multiple Parental Sun Protection Behaviors

Health Education & Behavior ◽

10.1177/10901981211010434 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 109019812110104

Author(s):

Karlijn Thoonen ◽

Liesbeth van Osch ◽

Rik Crutzen ◽

Hein de Vries ◽

Francine Schneider

Keyword(s):

Skin Cancer ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Sun Exposure ◽

Later Life ◽

Sun Protection ◽

Survey Study ◽

Skin Cancer Prevention ◽

Sun Safety ◽

And Behaviors ◽

Insight Into

Background Adequate sun safety during childhood is crucial for decreasing skin cancer risk in later life. Although parents are an essential target group in applying sun protection measures for their children, insight into the determinants associated with their sun protection behaviors is limited. Aims This study aims to identify the most relevant determinants in predicting multiple parental sun protection intentions and behaviors in different sun exposure situations. Method A longitudinal survey study with two measurements was conducted among Dutch parents ( N = 670) of children (4–12 years old). Twenty-seven sociocognitive determinants were examined in terms of relevance regarding four parental sun protection behaviors in different sun exposure situations. The Confidence Interval-Based Estimation of Relevance approach was used to visualize room for improvement (sample means) on all determinants and their association strengths (correlations) with sun protection intentions and behaviors. Results Behavior-specific rather than generic determinants were most relevant in explaining all sun protection behaviors. Of these determinants, attitude, self-efficacy and action planning, and especially parental feelings of difficulty in performing sun protection behaviors, were most relevant. Altogether, the explained variance of all sociocognitive determinants was highest for shade-seeking behavior ( R2 = .41 and .43) and lowest for supportive behavior ( R2 = .19 and .29) in both planned and incidental sun exposure situations, respectively. Discussion This study provides detailed insight into relevant sociocognitive determinants of parental sun protection behaviors in various sun exposure situations and directions for composing parental skin cancer prevention interventions. Conclusions Future composition of sun safety interventions should emphasize on enhancing parental feelings of self-efficacy, especially for shade-seeking and clothing behaviors.

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The Early Days of Personal Solar Ultraviolet Dosimetry

Atmosphere ◽

10.3390/atmos11020125 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 125 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Brian Diffey

Keyword(s):

Uv Radiation ◽

Human Exposure ◽

Ground Level ◽

Uv Exposure ◽

Population Exposure ◽

Atmospheric Ozone ◽

Quantitative Understanding ◽

Solar Uv ◽

The Impact ◽

Solar Ultraviolet

In the early 1970s, environmental conservationists were becoming concerned that a reduction in the thickness of the atmospheric ozone layer would lead to increased levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation at ground level, resulting in higher population exposure to UV and subsequent harm, especially a rise in skin cancer. At the time, no measurements had been reported on the normal levels of solar UV radiation which populations received in their usual environment, so this lack of data, coupled with increasing concerns about the impact to human health, led to the development of simple devices that monitored personal UV exposure. The first and most widely used UV dosimeter was the polymer film, polysulphone, and this review describes its properties and some of the pioneering studies using the dosimeter that led to a quantitative understanding of human exposure to sunlight in a variety of behavioral, occupational, and geographical settings.

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Quantification of personal solar UV exposure of outdoor workers, indoor workers and adolescents at two locations in Southeast Queensland

Photodermatology Photoimmunology & Photomedicine ◽

10.1111/j.1600-0781.1998.tb00002.x ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 7-11 ◽

Cited By ~ 58

Author(s):

M. G. Kimlin ◽

A. V. Parisi ◽

J. C. F. Wong

Keyword(s):

Uv Exposure ◽

Outdoor Workers ◽

Solar Uv ◽

Southeast Queensland

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Simulation of sunscreen performance

Pure and Applied Chemistry ◽

10.1515/pac-2015-0401 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 87 (9-10) ◽

pp. 937-951 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Bernd Herzog ◽

Uli Osterwalder

Keyword(s):

Sun Protection ◽

Simulation Algorithm ◽

Uv Filters ◽

Protection Factor ◽

Stage Of Development ◽

Screening Performance ◽

Convenient Approach ◽

Solar Uv ◽

Harmful Effects

AbstractSunscreens are used to protect the human skin against harmful effects of solar UV radiation. The most important quantity characterizing sunscreen performance is the sun protection factor (SPF). At the stage of development of new sun protection formulations quick and inexpensive methods for estimation of the UV screening performance are highly desirable. The most convenient approach towards this goal is given by computational simulations. Models for the calculation of the SPF employ the same algorithm as used with in vitro SPF measurements, but replace the transmittance measurement by the calculation of the overall absorbance of the UV filters in an irregular sunscreen film. The simulations require a database with quantitative UV extinction spectra of the relevant UV filters as well as a mathematical description of the film irregularity. The simulation algorithm implies also the consideration of photodegradation properties of the UV filters in the sunscreen composition. Besides using such simulations for designing new sunscreen formulations, the calculations can also support the understanding of sunscreen performance in general.

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