Abstract
Sun exposure in childhood is 1 of the risk factors for developing skin cancer, yet little is known about levels of exposure at this age. This is particularly important in countries with high levels of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) such as Australia. Among 49 children 3 to 5 years of age attending child care centers, UVR exposure was studied under 4 conditions in a repeated measures design; sunny days, cloudy days, teacher’s instruction to stay in the shade, and a health professionals instruction to apply sunscreen. Three different data collection methods were employed: (a) completion of questionnaire or diary by parents and researcher, (b) polysulphone dosimeter readings, and (c) observational audits (video recording).
Results of this study indicated that more than half the children had been sunburnt (pink or red) and more than a third had experienced painful sunburn (sore or tender) in the last summer. Most wore short sleeve shirts, short skirts or shorts and cap, that do not provide optimal levels of skin protection. However, sunscreen was applied to all exposed parts before the children went out to the playground. Over the period of 1 hr (9–10 a.m.) the average amount of time children spent in full sun was 22 min. On sunny days there was more variation across children in the amount of sun exposure received. While the potential amount of UVR exposure for young children during the hour they were outside on a sunny day was 1.45 MED (Minimum Erythemal Dose), they received on average 0.35 MED, which is an insufficient amount to result in an erythemal response on fair skin even without the use of sunscreen.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Crane, L. A., Marcus, A. C., & Pike, D. K. (1993). Skin cancer prevention in preschool and day care centres. Journal of School Health, 63, 232–234.
Davis, A., Deane, G. H. W., & Diffey, B. L. (1976). Possible dosimeter for ultraviolet radiation. Nature, 261, 169–170.
Davis, A., Diffey, B. L., & Tate, T. J. (1981). A personal dosimeter for biologically effective solar UV-B radiation. Photochemistry & Photobiology, 34, 283–286.
Diffey, B. L. (1984). Personal ultraviolet radiation dosimetry with polysulphone film badges. Photodermatology, 1, 151–157.
Diffey, B. L. (1987). A comparison of dosimeters used for solar ultraviolet radiometry. Photochemistry and Photobiology, 46, 55–60.
Diffey, B. L. (1989). Ultraviolet radiation dosimetry with polysulphone film. In B. L. Diffey (Ed.), Radiation measurment in photobiology (pp. 136–159). New York: Academic.
Diffey, B. L., Gibson, C. J., Haylock, R., & Mackinlay, A. F. (1994). Outdoor ultraviolet exposure of children and adolescents. British Journal of Dermatology, 134, 1030–1034.
Diffey, B. L., Kerwin, M., & Davis, A. (1977). The anatomical distribution of sun light. British Journal of Dermatology, 97, 407–409.
Diffey, B. L., Larko, O., & Swanback, G. (1982). UV-B doses received during different outdoor activities and UV-B treatment of psoriasis. British Journal of Dermatology, 106, 33–41.
Diffey, B. L., Tate, T. J., & Davis, A. (1979). Solar dosimetry of the face: The relationship of the natural ultraviolet exposure to basal cell carcinoma localization. Physics in Medicine and Biology, 24, 931–939.
Dixon, H., Borland, R., & Hill, D. (1999). Sun protection and sunburn in primary school children: The influence of age, gender, and coloring. Preventive Medicine, 28, 119–130.
Gies, H. P., Roy, C. R., Toomy, S., & MacLennan, R., & Watson, M. (1995). Solar UVR exposure of the three groups of outdoor workers of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. Photochemistry and Photobiology, 62, 1015–1021.
Gies, H. P., Roy, C. R., Toomy, S., MacLennan, R., & Watson, M.(1998). Solar UVR exposures of primary school children at three locations in Queensland. Photochemistry and Photobiology, 68, 78–83.
Grin, C. M., Pennoyer, J. W., Lehrich, D. A., & Grant-Kels, J. M. (1994). Sun exposure of young children while at day care. Paediatric Dermatology, 11, 304–309.
Harrison, S. L., MacLennan, R., Speare, R., & Wronski, I. (1994). Sun exposure and melanocytic naevi in young Australian children. The Lancet, 344, 1529–1532.
Herlihy, E., Gies, H. P., Roy, C. R., & Jones, J. (1994). Personal dosimetrys of solar UV radiation for different outdoors activities. Photochemistry and Photobiology, 60, 288–294.
Hill, D., White, V., Marks, R., Theobald, T., Borland, R., & Roy, C. (1992). Melanoma prevention: Behavioral and non-behavioral factors in sunburn among an Australian urban population. Preventive Medicine, 21, 654–669.
Holman, C. D. J., Gibson, I. M., Stephenson, M., & Armstrong, B. K. (1983). Ultraviolet irradiation of human body sites in relation to occupation and outdoor activity: Field studies using personal UVR dosimeters. Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 8, 269–277.
Holman, C. D. J., Armstrong, B. K., & Heenan, P. J. (1986). The causes of malignant melanoma: Results from the West Australian Lions Melanoma Research project. Recent Results in Cancer Research, 102, 18–37.
Hurwitz, S. (1988). The sun and sunscreen protection: recommendation for children. Journal of Dermatology, Surgery and Oncology, 14, 657–660.
Melville, S. K., Rosenthal, F. S., Luckman, R., & Lew, R. A. (1991). Qualitative ultraviolet skin exposure in school children during selected outdoor activities. Photodermatology, Photoimmunology and Photomedicine, 8, 99–104.
Moise, A. F., Buttner, P. G., & Harrison, S. L. (1999). Sun exposure at school. Photochemistry and Photobiology, 70, 269–274.
Moise, A. F., Harrison, S. L., & Gies, H. P. (1999). Solar ultraviolet radiation exposure of infants and small children. Photodermatology, Photoimmunology, Photomedicine, 15, 109–114.
O’Riordan, D. L., Stanton, W. R., Eyeson-Annan, M., Gies, P., & Roy, C. (2000). Correlations between reported and measured ultraviolet radiation exposure of mothers and young children. Photochemistry and Photobiology, 71, 60–64.
Resch, R. C. (1981). Natural observational studies: Methodology and video recording in spontaneous behaviour settings. Infant Mental Health Journal, 2, 176–187.
Stanton, W. R., Chakma, B., O’Riordan, D. L., & Eyeson-Annan, M. (2000). Sun exposure and primary prevention of skin cancer for infants and young children during autumn/winter. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 24, 178–185.
Stern, R. S., Weinstein, M. C., & Baker, S. G. (1986). Risk reduction for non-melanoma skin cancer with childhood sun screen use. Archive of Dermatology, 122, 537–545.
Truhan, A. P. (1991). Sun protection in childhood. Clinical Paediatrics, 30, 676–681.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Stanton, W.R., Saleheen, H.N., O Riordan, D. et al. Environmental conditions and variation in levels of sun exposure among children in child care. Int. J. Behav. Med. 10, 285–298 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327558IJBM1004_1
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327558IJBM1004_1