Sun Exposure Among Healthy Adults in a Health Facility

ABSTRACT

@#Introduction: Sun exposure is a risk for skin cancer but is beneficial for multiple other diseases. Recommendations for photoprotection are well defined, guidelines for optimal sun exposure is not clear. We determined sun exposure in healthy adults, considering their skin phototype and amount of skin exposed. Methods: A cross sectional study was performed involving healthy adults working in a tertiary health facility. Fitzpatrick skin phototype quiz was used to determine skin phototype. Sun exposure was quantified as an index (SEI); body surface area exposed times duration of exposure. Results: We recruited 167 volunteers, 110(66%) women and 56(34%) men. Mean age was 29.77±6.58 years, 124(74.7%) were Malay, 27(16.3%) Chinese, 14(8.4%) Indians and 1(0.6%) of other ethnicity. Fitzpatrick skin phototypes were 30(18.1%) type III, 109(65.7%) type IV and 27(16.3%) type V. Exposed body surface area was 13.96±8.33% in males and 14.55±9.58% in females. The duration of sun exposure per week in males was 11.52±6.11hours and 10.71±5.75 hours in females. Mean SEI was 160 ±144. The SEI in females was 158 ±151, 164 ±130 in males, p value =0.81. There were no significant differences in SEI between gender and skin phototypes. Conclusion: SEI was very low in our study population due to limited body surface area exposed and duration of sun exposure. SEI was higher in darker skin and males, however these were not statistically significant.