Sun‐protection and sun‐exposure habits among sailors: results of the 2018 world's largest sailing race Barcolana’ skin cancer prevention campaign

Abstract

Background Epidemiologic data suggest an increased risk of melanoma (MM) and non‐melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) in persons with intense recreational sun‐exposure such as marathon runners or surfers. Up to data little is known about the sun‐exposure habits, sun‐protection behaviours and risk factors for MM and NMSC among sailors. Objective The objective of this prospective, cross‐sectional study was to investigate the sun‐exposure and sun‐protective habits and risk factors for skin cancer among sailors attending the 50° edition of Barcolana, the largest sailing race in of the world, which took place in October 2018 in Trieste, Italy as an integrative component of a public sun‐prevention campaign. Methods The study consisted of 2 parts: (i) a self‐administered questionnaire focusing on sun‐exposure and protective habits and (ii) a free skin examination carried out by volunteer dermatologists. Participation was optional and anonymous, and open to visitors and sailors attending the event. Results Overall, 431 (52.4%) sailors and 391 (47.6%) visitors responded to the questionnaire, while a total of 437 individuals including 189 (43.3%) sailors and 248 (56.6%) visitors participated in the skin examination group. The majority of sailors reported a past history of severe sunburns (20.2%), applied sunscreen never (14.4%) to sometimes (45.7%) or only once daily (59%) on the face (55%) and shoulders (26%). Moreover, 14% of sailors had a personal history of non‐melanoma skin cancer (NMSC). During the dermatological examination, suspicious lesions for skin cancer (including MM and NMSC) were identified in 37% of the sailors. Conclusion Our findings support the need to develop and promote primary and secondary prevention strategies to improve the sun‐exposure and sun‐protective habits among sailors.

Point prevalence of non-melanoma and melanoma skin cancers in Australian surfers and swimmers in SE Queensland and Northern New South Wales

“…For example Climstein and colleagues 12 assessed skin type however, simplified the Fitzpatrick skin type to only fair to black, contrary to its intended clinical application. Other related studies neglected to investigate Fitzpatrick skin type altogether [27][28][29][30] therefore limiting comparisons to our findings.…”

Solar Ultraviolet Exposure in Individuals Who Perform Outdoor Sport Activities

“…Geospecific UVIs are included in weather forecasts across many countries and integrated in smartphone applications [37,82], making sun exposure prevention guidelines widely accessible to patients. During summer in the USA, the UV index can be either very high (8)(9)(10) or extreme (11+) at midday. The average UVI in July ranges from 6.5 at the continental US northernmost border to 11.5 in southern Texas [81].…”

“…Outdoor sports athletes have high rates of sunburn [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] and low rates of skin cancer literacy [7,14], thereby increasing their risk for cutaneous malignancy. A person's orientation to the sun [15], the amount of sun exposure [16], and population behaviors [17,18] toward sun exposure and protection may be determinant factors that explain the increasing frequency of skin cancer, but genetic, demographical, geographical, and meteorological differences make it difficult to predict an individual's risk [18].…”

The Simulated Ocular and Whole‐Body Distribution of Natural Sunlight to Kiteboarders: A High‐Risk Case of UVR Exposure for Athletes Utilizing Water Surfaces in Sport

“…One-quarter of the selected studies considered multiple sports as opposed to studies that examined a single sporting discipline (25% versus 75%). Of the studies that considered sports that take place on the ocean or over water surfaces, most considered sailing [3,28,42,44,66,79], followed by windsurfing and surfing [3,4,5,6]. Only one Type A study considered kiteboarding as a sporting discipline in terms of exposure risk to solar UVR [89].…”