Sun Protection Behaviours and Photosensitivity in Japanese Children: Toyama Adjunct Study of Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS).

Abstract

Children have up to three3 times the annual sun exposure of adults. This cross-sectional study evaluated sun protection behaviorbehaviour, related factors, and the incidence of photosensitivity in Japanese children. A self-administered questionnaire administered to mothers of second2nd-grade children as part of the Toyama Adjunct Study of the Japan Environment and Children's Study was used and analyzedanalysed (n=1,691). The results showed that 67.5 % of children always or sometimes used sunscreen when going out for a long time, while 73.2 % used at least one method of sun protection when swimming in an outdoor pool. BehaviorsBehaviours related to sun exposure were related to the sex of the child, Fitzpatrick skin phototype, skin symptoms after sun exposure, annual household income, father's highest educational level, and maternal age. The incidence of photosensitivity disorders was 0.5 %. Diagnoses included polymorphous light eruptions in 4 (50%) and solar urticaria in 2 (25%). However, 5.9 % of children had skin symptoms after sun exposure, but were undiagnosed. In general, photosensitivity is rarely encountered in pediatricpaediatric patients; in this study, we determined its prevalence in children in Japan. Six factors appeared to be relevant to behaviorsbehaviours related to sun exposure. Further investigation is required to confirm these findings.