Ultraviolet radiation and health: friend and foe
Date
2002
Authors
Ponsonby, Anne-Louise
Lucas, Robyn
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Australasian Medical Association
Abstract
While excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is a significant cause of disease burden in Australia and the Western Pacific region, there are well documented beneficial as well as adverse effects of UVR exposure. Ambient UVR levels do not translate directly to personal UVR dose and thus to biological effect - each person's sun-exposure behaviour and pigmentation also play a role. Exposure in childhood may be more important than exposure in adulthood for both beneficial and adverse effects. Stratospheric ozone depletion increases ambient UVR in the UVB wavelength, possibly the most important wavelength for both beneficial and deleterious health effects. There is ongoing research examining the effects of UVR exposure on immune function, including an examination of the possible role of lack of UVR exposure in the aetiology of multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes mellitus.
Description
Keywords
Keywords: adulthood; atopic dermatitis; Australia; childhood; clinical trial; clothing; disease association; epidemiological data; geographic origin; greenhouse effect; health promotion; health status; human; immune deficiency; immune response; immunopathology; ins
Citation
Collections
Source
Medical Journal of Australia
Type
Journal article