Risks and benefits of sun exposure: implications for public health practice based on the Australian experience.
Over recent years, evidence has been accumulating that vitamin D has a positive impact on our overall health. This may have an impact on the future of our public health advice related to skin cancer prevention. This paper explores, from a public health perspective based on Australian experience, how skin cancer prevention messages should be managed in light of new information about vitamin D and, in particular, the times when sun protection advice should be provided and how the vitamin D message can be complementary to the sun protection message.
The Cancer Council Victoria, 1 Rathdowne St, Carlton 3053, Victoria Australia. Craig.Sinclair@cancervic.org.au
Craig
C
Sinclair
D001315:Australia; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000639:trends; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013472:Sunlight; D013473:Sunscreening Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
D013473:Sunscreening Agents