Aeneae Venema, R.T. (2025) Impact of Occupational UV Exposure on Photoaging: Insights from Dutch Outdoor Workers. thesis, Medicine.
Full text available on request.Abstract
Introduction: Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer, with its incidence increasing annually worldwide. Despite this growing challenge, relatively little attention has been paid to occupational skin cancer and sun damage caused by occupational UV exposure. It is estimated that 1.6 billion people worldwide are exposed to UV radiation at work, significantly increasing their risk of developing skin cancer. Approximately 29% of deaths from non-melanoma skin cancer are attributed to occupational UV exposure. In the Netherlands, however, research into occupational skin cancer is scarce, and studies on occupational UV-induced skin aging are entirely lacking. This exploratory study aims to investigate whether there is a difference in skin aging between indoor and outdoor workers. Methods: This study included 175 participants, consisting of 125 outdoor workers and 50 indoor workers. In both groups, the prevalence of extrinsic skin aging factors was examined, and the reliability of these factors was assessed through interobserver and intraobserver reliability analyses. Results: The interobserver reliability analysis revealed that the physician global assessment (PGA) demonstrated high reliability. Significant differences were observed between indoor and outdoor workers for four skin aging factors: cutis rhomboidalis nuchae, permanent erythema of the ear, the PGA, and erythrosis interfollicularis colli. Conclusion: This exploratory study suggests that outdoor workers experience greater skin aging due to sun damage compared to indoor workers. Additionally, the PGA appears to be a reliable measure for classifying the extent of skin aging. Further studies are needed to confirm and expand upon these findings. Keywords: occupational UV-exposure, photoaging, skin cancer, Dutch outdoor workers.
| Item Type: | Thesis (UNSPECIFIED) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Terra, dr. J.B. and Sprang, dr. ir. E. van |
| Faculty: | Medical Sciences |
| Date Deposited: | 05 Jan 2026 13:49 |
| Last Modified: | 05 Jan 2026 13:49 |
| URI: | https://umcg.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/3873 |
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