Different outdoor professions carry different risks for non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC), one of the most common cancers worldwide, according to a study.
In the study published in the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, researchers noted that one of the main risk factors for NMSC is solar ultraviolet radiation.
"Altitude and number of hours working outside seem to make the difference. Adjust your sun protection accordingly," said Alexander Zink from the Technical University of Munich in Germany.
The study of 563 participants (47 per cent women) consisted of 348 outdoor workers ((39 per cent farmer, 35 per cent gardener, 26 per cent mountain guides) and 215 indoor workers.
NMSC was diagnosed in 33.3 per cent of mountain guides, 27.4 per cent of farmers, 19.5 per cent of gardeners and in 5.6 per cent of indoor workers.
Significant differences were seen between the outdoor professions with mountain guides at the highest risk.
Substantial differences between the professions were also seen in skin cancer screening rates (indoor worker 61.4 per cent, mountain guides 57.8 per cent, farmers 31.9 per cent, gardeners 27.6 per cent), daily ultraviolet radiation exposure during work, and protective behaviour such as sunscreen use during work.
The findings suggest that tailoring prevention efforts to different professions based on their individual needs could help lower the global burden of NMSC.
