title: Epidemiological Assessments of Skin Outcomes in the Nurses' Health Studies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the contribution of the Nurses' Health Studies (NHSs) to identifying epidemiological factors associated with multiple skin diseases, including skin cancer, psoriasis, and other inflammatory and autoimmune skin diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  We carried out a narrative review of NHS articles published between 1976 and 2016.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The NHSs have identified environmental and lifestyle factors related to psoriasis, supporting obesity and smoking as psoriasis risk factors; associations between psoriasis and diabetes, myocardial infarction, and Crohn's disease, supporting psoriasis as a systemic disorder; and associations of pigmentary traits, ultraviolet radiation, and lifestyle factors such as citrus consumption with risk of skin cancer. Genetic studies have identified novel genetic loci for skin pigmentation (e.g., IRF4, SLC24A4, NID1, and EDNRB) and skin cancer (e.g., TET2 and HERC2-OCA2). Work continues on highly prevalent but less studied skin conditions such as rosacea, acne, and atopic dermatitis. The NHS results have influenced public health policies on indoor tanning devices.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The NHSs have provided invaluable resources on skin disease population science and contributed to the etiological understanding of multiple skin disorders.
authors.affiliation: The authors are with the Department of Dermatology, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI.
authors.forename: Wen-Qing
authors.initials: WQ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: The authors are with the Department of Dermatology, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI.
authors.forename: Eunyoung
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: The authors are with the Department of Dermatology, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI.
authors.forename: Martin A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Weinstock
authors.affiliation: The authors are with the Department of Dermatology, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI.
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mashfiq
authors.affiliation: The authors are with the Department of Dermatology, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI.
authors.forename: Abrar A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Qureshi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D009726:Nurses; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D016387:Women's Health