PERSONAL DOSIMETRY OF SOLAR UV-RADIATION FOR DIFFERENT OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

Quantifying individual exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is crit ical to understanding the etiology of a number of diseases including n onmelanotic and melanotic skin cancers. Measurements of personal expos ure to solar UVR were made in Hobart, Tasmania in February (summer) 19 91 for six different outdoor activities using UVR-sensitive polysulfon e (PS) film attached at seven anatomical sites. Concurrent behavioral and environmental observations were also made. To date many studies ha ve relied on subject recall to quantify past solar UVR exposures. To g ain insight into the accuracy of subject recall the measured UVR expos ures received by different subjects using the PS film were compared to those calculated from personal diaries and ambient solar UVB levels f rom a monitoring station. In general, when UVR exposure activities too k place under close supervision, good correlations were obtained betwe en the PS badges and the ambient measurements/diaries approach. Ultrav iolet radiation exposures for the field study involving 94 subjects en gaged in a number of outdoor activities are presented.