Sun behaviour and personal UVR exposure among Europeans on short term holidays.
Solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is known to be the main cause of skin cancer, the incidence of which is rising with national differences across Europe. With this observation study we aimed to determine the impact of nationality on sun behaviour and personal UVR exposure on sun and ski holidays. 25 Danish and 20 Spanish sun-seekers were observed during a sun holiday in Spain, and 26 Danish and 27 Austrian skiers were observed during a ski holiday in Austria. The participants recorded their location and clothing in diaries. Personal time-logged UVR data were recorded as standard erythema doses (SEDs) by an electronic UVR dosimeter worn on the wrist. Danish sun-seekers were outdoors for significantly longer, received significant higher percentages of ambient UVR, and received greater accumulated UVR doses than Spanish sun-seekers. Danish skiers were also outdoors for significantly longer than Austrian skiers, but the behaviour of the Danish skiers did not result in significantly greater accumulated UVR doses. Both Danish and Spanish sun-seekers and Danish and Austrian skiers received substantial UVR doses. The behaviour's influence on the UVR doses received by the Danish participants may indicate an explanation of the higher skin cancer incidence among Scandinavians compared with other European populations.
University of Copenhagen, Bispebjerg Hospital (BBH), Department of Dermatological Research, Bispebjerg Bakke 23, Copenhagen 2400, Denmark. Electronic address: bibi.petersen@regionh.dk.
Bibi
B
Petersen
Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Doctor Aiguader 88, E-08003 Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), C/ Melchor Fernández Almagro, 3-5 Pabellón 6, planta baja, 28029 Madrid, Spain.
Margarita
M
Triguero-Mas
University of Veterinary Medicine (UVM), Unit of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Veterinaerplatz 1, A-1210 Vienna, Austria.
Bernhard
B
Maier
University of Copenhagen, Bispebjerg Hospital (BBH), Department of Dermatological Research, Bispebjerg Bakke 23, Copenhagen 2400, Denmark.
Elisabeth
E
Thieden
University of Copenhagen, Bispebjerg Hospital (BBH), Department of Dermatological Research, Bispebjerg Bakke 23, Copenhagen 2400, Denmark.
Peter Alshede
PA
Philipsen
University of Copenhagen, Bispebjerg Hospital (BBH), Department of Dermatological Research, Bispebjerg Bakke 23, Copenhagen 2400, Denmark.
Jakob
J
Heydenreich
Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Doctor Aiguader 88, E-08003 Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), C/ Melchor Fernández Almagro, 3-5 Pabellón 6, planta baja, 28029 Madrid, Spain.
Payam
P
Dadvand
Medical University Vienna, Department of Dermatology, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.
Harald
H
Maier
Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI), Copenhagen, Denmark.
Mette Marie-Louise
MM
Grage
King's College London (KCL), St John's Institute of Dermatology, Guy's Hospital, London SE1 9RT, United Kingdom.
Graham I
GI
Harrison
University of Veterinary Medicine (UVM), Unit of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Veterinaerplatz 1, A-1210 Vienna, Austria.
Alois W
AW
Schmalwieser
Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Doctor Aiguader 88, E-08003 Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), C/ Melchor Fernández Almagro, 3-5 Pabellón 6, planta baja, 28029 Madrid, Spain.
Mark J
MJ
Nieuwenhuijsen
King's College London (KCL), St John's Institute of Dermatology, Guy's Hospital, London SE1 9RT, United Kingdom.
Antony R
AR
Young
University of Copenhagen, Bispebjerg Hospital (BBH), Department of Dermatological Research, Bispebjerg Bakke 23, Copenhagen 2400, Denmark.
Hans Christian
HC
Wulf
D000328:Adult; D001317:Austria; D003718:Denmark; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012865:Skiing; D012867:Skin / Q000528:radiation effects*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology; D013030:Spain; D055108:Sunbathing; D013472:Sunlight; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects
Malignant melanoma; Personal UVR exposure; Skin cancer; Sun holiday