Background: Photosensitivity disorders involve an abnormal skin reaction to sunlight exposure and affect a substantial percentage of the population. No previous studies have directly compared lifestyle attributes between photosensitive and healthy individuals.
Objectives: To assess the impact of photosensitivity on time spent outdoors in the U.K., holiday behaviour, use of sunscreens and vitamin D supplements, and employment status.
Methods: Questionnaires were completed by ambulant photosensitive and healthy adults aged 18-60 years residing in Greater Manchester.
Results: Forty-five adults with moderate-severe photosensitivity and 124 healthy adults completed the questionnaire. This revealed that photosensitive subjects spent significantly less time outdoors in the U.K. on both summer weekdays (P < 0·01) and summer weekends (P < 0·0001) than healthy subjects, took fewer holidays per year (P < 0·05), and spent less time outdoors on a sunny holiday (P < 0·0001). They wore clothing that covered a wider skin area (P < 0·0001), and use of sunscreen was greater (both frequency of application and area covered) in the photosensitive group outside of holiday time (P < 0·0001), but not when on a sunny holiday, as healthy people increased their sunscreen use at this time. Despite the reduced sun exposure, photosensitive subjects were no more likely to take vitamin D supplements than healthy subjects were; they also exhibited a significantly higher rate of unemployment (P < 0·05).
Conclusions: Photosensitivity disorders negatively influence lifestyle including employment status; more attention is required to the socioeconomic impact of these conditions.
© 2010 The Authors. BJD © 2010 British Association of Dermatologists.