Abstract
Overexposure to solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a risk for public health. Therefore, it is important to provide information to the public about the level of solar UV. The UV-Index (UVI) is the relevant quantity, expressing the erythemally weighted irradiance to a horizontal plane on a simple scale. As solar UV irradiance is strongly variable in time and space, measurements within a network provide the best source of information, provided they can be made available rapidly. However, to ensure the information is reliable, strict quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) procedures for the monitoring networks are necessary. Near real time presentation of the measured UVI on web-pages is the best way to inform the public. The interpretation of the data in terms of the individual ‘allowable’ exposure time is heavily impacted by skin type, behavior, and clothing, and must be learned for each person through experience and guidance. Nonetheless, reliable knowledge of the actual level of the intensity of erythemally weighted irradiance and its variability forms the basis of education and public awareness. The challenges and requirements in providing comprehensive UVI data for public health guidance are here considered.
Highlights
The overexposure to solar UV is a risk for public health
In order to use a quantity that is relevant for health applications, the physical level of irradiance is weighted with the biological action spectrum of erythema, which is generally taken as an indicator of detrimental health effects from UV
Public Health 2018, 15, x spectral dependency (‘erythema action spectrum’) is somewhat different for different persons, it is standardized by international organizations
Summary
The overexposure to solar UV is a risk for public health. Typical detrimental effects are the acute response of erythema (sun burning) and the longer-term risk of skin cancer. For assessing the exposure dose, two factors are decisive: intensity of the solar UV radiation (irradiance) and duration of the exposure. The absolute quantity of the dose that leads to overexposure is a very individual value It depends on the skin type and on any pre-existing tanning of the skin. In order to use a quantity that is relevant for health applications, the physical level of irradiance is weighted with the biological action spectrum of erythema, which is generally taken as an indicator of detrimental health effects from UV radiation. Res. Public Health 2018, 15, x spectral dependency (‘erythema action spectrum’) is somewhat different for different persons, it is standardized by international organizations [1,2,3], so the term ‘erythemally weighted’.
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