Improving assessment of lifetime solar ultraviolet radiation exposure in epidemiologic studies: comparison of ultraviolet exposure assessment methods in a nationwide United States occupational cohort

Journal article

Solar ultraviolet radiation is the primary risk factor for skin cancers and sun-related eye disorders. Estimates of individual ambient ultraviolet irradiance derived from ground-based solar measurements and from satellite measurements have rarely been compared. Using self-reported residential history from 67,189 persons in a nationwide occupational US radiologic technologists cohort, we estimated ambient solar irradiance using data from ground-based meters and noontime satellite measurements. The mean distance-moved from city of longest residence in childhood increased from 137.6 km at ages 13-19 to 870.3 km at ages ≥65, with corresponding increases in absolute latitude-difference moved. At ages 20/40/60/80, the Pearson/Spearman correlation coefficients of ground-based and satellite-derived solar potential ultraviolet exposure, using irradiance and cumulative radiant-exposure metrics, were high (=0.87-0.92). There was also moderate correlation (Pearson/Spearman correlation coefficients=0.51-0.60) between irradiance at birth and at last-known address, for ground-based and satellite data. Satellite-based lifetime estimates of ultraviolet radiation were generally 14-15% lower than ground-based estimates, albeit with substantial uncertainties, possibly because ground-based estimates incorporate fluctuations in cloud and ozone, which are incompletely incorporated in the single noontime satellite-overpass ultraviolet value. If confirmed elsewhere, the findings suggest that ground-based estimates may improve exposure-assessment accuracy and potentially provide new insights into ultraviolet-radiation-disease relationships in epidemiologic studies

Authors: Little, MP; Tatalovich, Z; Linet, MS; Fang, F; Kendall, GM

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Wiley
• Journal: Photochemistry and Photobiology
• Volume: 94
• Issue: 6
• Pages: 1297-1307
• Publication date: 2018-06-13
• Acceptance date: 2018-06-09
• DOI: 10.1111/php.12964
• EISSN: 1751-1097
• ISSN: 0031-8655
• Keywords: exposure assessment methods; non-ionising radiation; solar ultraviolet radiation; ultraviolet B radiation