Different outdoor professions have different risks – a cross‐sectional study comparing non‐melanoma skin cancer risk among farmers, gardeners and mountain guides

Abstract

Different outdoor professions have significant different risks for NMSC and show different risk behaviour. Tailoring prevention efforts to different professions based on their individual needs could be the key to lower the global burden of (occupational) NMSC.

‘Try to make good hay in the shade – it won't work!’ A qualitative interview study on the perspectives of Bavarian farmers regarding primary prevention of skin cancer

“…However, the vast majority of farmers are self‐employed and therefore these regulations do not apply. At the same time, several previous studies have shown that among the outdoor professions farmers have one of the highest rates of KC, with poor primary prevention measures taken during work hours . In Bavaria, only a small minority of farmers regularly use sunscreen, wide‐brimmed hats, sunglasses, long‐sleeved clothing or other UVR‐protective measures .…”

“…1,[15][16][17] Outdoor workers and, in particular, farmers, typically exposed to UVR during their daily work, for up to 40 hours per week, 18 are at a substantially higher risk of KC than indoor workers. [19][20][21] This has led to the recognition of KC as an occupational disease of outdoor workers in several countries worldwide, including Germany. [22][23][24] In Germany, about 2-3 million individuals are categorized as 'outdoor workers', including, for example, farmers, construction workers, gardeners and roofers.…”

“…20,26,27 In Bavaria, only a small minority of farmers regularly use sunscreen, wide-brimmed hats, sunglasses, longsleeved clothing or other UVR-protective measures. 17,20 While these quantitative studies have documented that adequate primary prevention measuresunderstood as regularly using sunscreen and wearing a wide-brimmed hat and a longsleeved shirt during workare not employed, they have failed to expose the underlying reasons for why farmers do not take sun-protection measures. Qualitative methods can help to generate an in-depth understanding of the beliefs, attitudes and perception of farmers influencing this poor sun-protective behaviour.…”

Occupational differences in standardized mortality ratios for non-melanotic skin cancer and melanoma in exposed areas among individuals with Fitzpatrick skin types III and IV

“…Moreover, lifetime occupational exposure was definitely positively associated with SCC, especially when the latest diagnostic methods were used. Outdoor workers show high risk of skin cancer, and that risk differs by outdoor activity . To summarize, there is a clear association between NMSC (both BCC and SCC) and UV exposure.…”

Working in the dirt and heat: Bavarian farmers’ insights into barriers to implementing sun protection related to the demands of their agricultural work

“…However, studies conducted in Bavaria, Germany – a region with many rural farms – have shown that risk awareness is low and actual sun‐protective behaviours (such as the regular use of sunscreen, wearing long‐sleeved shirts and wide‐brimmed hats) are poor . What remains unknown is why these behaviours are not implemented.…”