Sun exposure and sun protection of health workers in a municipality of Minas Gerais

Abstract

doi: 10.5216/ree.v12i3.6156

The skin is an external organ and is rateable to daily attack by sun exposure.  Professionals who work in outdoor environments are at risk for occasional damage caused by sun exposure if unprotected, such as public health workers and endemic disease control workers.  Therefore, this study aimed to discover the sun exposure habits of public health workers and endemic disease control workers who work in the municipality of Ribeirão das Neves, Minas Gerais.  In 2008, an exploratory study was conducted using a semi-formal questionnaire with 7 public health workers and 6 endemic disease control workers.  The results revealed that most part of those interviewed are exposed to sun radiation for more than five hours per day, all during the most critical exposure period; 46.17% do not use sun protection and 23% use chemical and physical methods and all displayed some kind of skin condition resulting from their professional activity.  The results emphasize the importance of creating and implementing initiatives that motivate these professionals to use effective means of sun protection.

Descriptors: Solar radiation; Health promotion; Worker Health.