title: The influence of the UV-index on attitudes toward sun exposure in the German population.
abstract: The increased skin cancer incidences are important public health problems. In spite of the strong promotion of the UV-index as essential UV risk education tool, only few studies have investigated peoples understanding of the UV-index. This paper is the first to present representative data on UV-index understanding in Germany. In 2007, a representative telephone survey was carried out among 1,501 German residents aged 14 years and older. Only 27% of the respondents had heard of the UV-index before and 17% of the German respondents claimed to consider the index for their sun habits. Less than 10% of the German population was able to attribute the correct meaning to the UV-index as well as know their own skin type. The results of the present study suggest that informing the public about the UV-index has very limited impact on the public's understanding of the UV-index as well as on their attitude toward sun exposure. The results warrant the question whether the UV-index in the present form is a useful education tool in UV risk communication.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurosciences and Medicine (INM-8), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany. f.boerner@fz-juelich.de
authors.forename: Franziska U
authors.initials: FU
authors.lastname: Börner
authors.forename: Holger
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schütz
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wiedemann
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D015438:Health Behavior; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000517:prevention & control; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013472:Sunlight / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects*; D055815:Young Adult