Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, Atlanta, Georgia.
Division of Cancer Prevention and Control; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, MS F76, Atlanta, GA 30341. Email:
Prev Chronic Dis. 2019 Feb 7;16:E15. doi: 10.5888/pcd16.180446.
Nearly 5 million people are treated for skin cancer each year in the United States. Agricultural and construction workers (ACWs) may be at increased risk for skin cancer because of high levels of ultraviolet radiation exposure from the sun. This is the first study that uses nationally representative data to assess sun-protection behaviors among ACWs.
We analyzed data from the 2015 National Health Interview Survey Cancer Control Supplement to examine the prevalence of sun-protection behaviors among ACWs. We calculated national, weighted, self-reported prevalence estimates. We used χ tests to assess differences between ACWs by industry and occupation.
Most of the 2,298 agricultural and construction workers studied were male (by industry, 72.4% in agriculture and 89.3% in construction; by occupation, 66.1% in agriculture and 95.6% in construction) and non-Hispanic white. About one-third had at least 1 sunburn in the past year. The prevalence of sunscreen use and shade seeking was low and did not significantly differ among groups, ranging from 15.1% to 21.4% for sunscreen use and 24.5% to 29.1% for shade seeking. The prevalence of wearing protective clothing was significantly higher among agricultural workers than among construction workers by industry (70.9% vs 50.7%) and occupation (70.5% vs 53.0%).
Our findings could be used to improve occupational health approaches to reducing skin cancer risk among ACWs and to inform education and prevention initiatives addressing skin cancer. Sun-safety initiatives may include modifying work sites to increase shade and adding sun safety to workplace policies and training. Employers can help reduce occupational health inequities and protect workers by creating workplaces that facilitate sun protection.
每年有近 500 万人因皮肤癌在美国接受治疗。农业和建筑工人（ACWs）由于受到来自太阳的高水平紫外线辐射，皮肤癌的风险可能会增加。这是第一项使用全国代表性数据评估 ACWs 防晒行为的研究。
我们分析了 2015 年全国健康访谈调查癌症控制补充数据，以检查 ACWs 中防晒行为的流行率。我们计算了全国性的、加权的、自我报告的流行率估计。我们使用 χ 检验来评估 ACWs 按行业和职业的差异。
在所研究的 2298 名农业和建筑工人中，大多数为男性（按行业，农业中为 72.4%，建筑中为 89.3%；按职业，农业中为 66.1%，建筑中为 95.6%），且均为非西班牙裔白人。大约三分之一的人在过去一年中至少有一次晒伤。防晒霜使用和寻找阴凉处的比例较低，且在不同群体之间没有显著差异，防晒霜使用的比例为 15.1%至 21.4%，寻找阴凉处的比例为 24.5%至 29.1%。按行业（农业中为 70.9%，建筑中为 50.7%）和职业（农业中为 70.5%，建筑中为 53.0%），农业工人比建筑工人更常穿防护服。
我们的研究结果可用于改善针对 ACWs 降低皮肤癌风险的职业健康方法，并为解决皮肤癌问题的教育和预防措施提供信息。防晒措施可能包括修改工作场所以增加遮荫面积，并将防晒安全纳入工作场所政策和培训中。雇主可以通过创造有利于防晒的工作场所，帮助减少职业健康的不平等现象并保护工人。
