title: The validated sun exposure questionnaire: association of objective and subjective measures of sun exposure in a Danish population-based sample.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Few questionnaires used in monitoring sun-related behaviour have been tested for validity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We established the criteria validity of a questionnaire developed for monitoring population sun-related behaviour.
  
  
  METHODS
  During May-August 2013, 664 Danes wore a personal electronic ultraviolet radiation (UVR) dosimeter for 1 week that measured their outdoor time and dose of erythemal UVR exposure. In the following week, they answered a questionnaire on their sun-related behaviour in the measurement week.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Outdoor time measured by dosimetry correlated strongly with both outdoor time and the developed exposure scale measured in the questionnaire. Exposure measured in standard erythema dose (SED) by dosimetry correlated strongly with the exposure scale. In a linear regression model of UVR (SED) received, 41% of the variation was explained by skin type, age, week of participation and exposure scale, with exposure scale as the main contributor. The weekly sunburn fraction correlated strongly with the number of ambient sun hours (r = 0·73, P < 0·001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This criteria-validated questionnaire provides evidence of the exposure that the questionnaire aimed to measure. The evidence provided showed a strong link between the objectively measured behaviour and the behaviour measured by this survey construct. The questionnaire is the first validated tool to measure the UVR exposure in a national population-based sample.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prevention and Information, Danish Cancer Society, Strandboulevarden 49, 2100, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark.|Research Unit of General Practice, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Køster
authors.affiliation: Research Unit of General Practice, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Søndergaard
authors.affiliation: Research Unit of General Practice, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.affiliation: Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Canterbury, Canterbury, U.K.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.affiliation: Research Centre, Danish Cancer Society, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Olsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Prevention and Information, Danish Cancer Society, Strandboulevarden 49, 2100, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bentzen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D000072232:Radiation Dosimeters; D013471:Sunburn / Q000453:epidemiology; D013472:Sunlight; D013473:Sunscreening Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D013473:Sunscreening Agents