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Elisabeth Thieden, MSc (Pharm); Peter A. Philipsen, PhD, MSc (Engin); Jakob Heydenreich, MSc (Engin); Hans Christian Wulf, MD, DSc

Arch Dermatol. 2004;140:197-203.

Objective  To assess individual time-related (time-stamped) UV radiation (UVR) dose pattern and sun exposure behavior.

Design  Open prospective observational study.

Setting  University hospital.

Study Subjects  Two hundred eighty-five Danish volunteers with apparently healthy skin: children, adolescents, indoor workers, sun worshippers, golfers, and gardeners (age range, 4-68 years).

Measurements  We developed a personal electronic UVR dosimeter in a wristwatch (SunSaver) and measured continuously time-related UVR doses in standard erythema dose (SED) and corresponding sun exposure behavior from diaries, resulting in 346 sun-years (median, 119 days). The estimated yearly UVR doses were calculated based on personal and ambient measured doses.

Results  The median estimated yearly UVR dose was 173 SEDs (range, 132 SEDs [indoor workers]-224 SEDs [gardeners]), with no significant difference by age (P = .25) or sex (P = .75). The SED of girls (175 SEDs) was significantly (P = .04) higher than that of boys (116 SEDs). Subjects younger than 20 years had an increase of 5 SEDs per year (P = .03). Sunbathing or exposing shoulders (risk behavior) outside the beach resulted in a median of 2.5 SEDs per day in northern Europe and 3.2 SEDs per day in southern Europe; however, at the beach, corresponding values were 4.6 and 6.9 SEDs per day. Children and adolescents received more than half their total UVR dose at the beach. Sunburning doses above 10 SEDs per day were connected with sunbathing or exposing shoulders. Of the UVR dose, 50% was received between noon and 3 PM. Only the gardeners received most of their UVR dose (55%) on working days.

Conclusions  High UVR doses are connected with risk behavior, except for outdoor workers. There is no need to change sun exposure habits on days without risk behavior.

From the Department of Dermatology, Bispebjerg Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. The authors have no relevant financial interest in this article.

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