Prevalence of sun exposure and its associated factors in southern Brazil: a population-based study.
BACKGROUND
Sunlight exposure is responsible for a large number of dermatological diseases.


OBJECTIVE
We estimated the prevalence of sunlight exposure and its associated factors in adults from southern Brazil in a cross-sectional, population-based study.


METHODS
We investigated a representative sample of individuals aged ≥ 20 years (n=3,136). Sunlight exposure and its associated factors were evaluated in two distinct situations: at leisure time and at work. The time period investigated ranged from December 2004 to March 2005, comprising 120 days of the highest ultraviolet index in the urban area of the city of Pelotas, in southern Brazil. The participants were asked about sunlight exposure for at least 20 minutes between 10 A.M. and 4 P.M. The analysis was stratified by sex, and sunlight exposure was grouped into five categories.


RESULTS
Among the 3,136 participants, prevalence of sunlight exposure at the beach was 32.8% (95% CI, 30.3 - 35.2) and 26.3% (95% CI, 24.2 28.3) among men and women, respectively. The prevalence at work was 39.8% (95% CI, 37.2 - 42.4) among men and 10.5% (95% CI, 9.1 - 12.0) among women. Age was inversely associated with sunlight exposure. Family income and achieved schooling were positively associated with sunlight exposure at leisure time and inversely associated with sunglight exposure at work. Self-reported skin color was not associated. Knowledge of any friend or relative who has been affected by skin cancer was positively associated with sunlight exposure among men at work.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite the media campaigns on the harmful effects of excessive sunlight exposure, we found a high prevalence of sunlight exposure during a period of high ultraviolet index.
Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Porto AlegreRS, Brazil.
Rodrigo Pereira
RP
Duquia
Ana Maria Baptista
AM
Menezes
Hiram Larangeira de
HL
Almeida
Felipe Fossati
FF
Reichert
Iná da Silva dos
Ida S
Santos
Ricardo Lanzetta
RL
Haack
Bernardo Lessa
BL
Horta
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D062306:Geography, Medical; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013472:Sunlight / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult