We all know that the wonderful sun has a dark side: if you don’t use sunscreen against UV rays, you run the risk of getting skin cancer. Funnily enough, it seems to matter where you live, what your gender is and how much money you make.
A recent one Canadian study compared all kinds of population groups and their risk of skin cancer. It turned out that melanoma – the most dangerous form of skin cancer – is particularly common in the regions on the Atlantic coast in Canada. Men and wealthy people also get the disease more often.
One in three will develop skin cancer at some point
The number of skin cancer diagnoses is rising all over the world. In the Netherlands, more than 83,000 people contracted the disease in 2022. In just over 8,000 cases it turned out to be a melanoma. It is estimated that one in three Canadians will develop some form of skin cancer at some point in their lives, and the Atlantic coastal provinces of Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia have the highest rates of melanoma in the country. The researchers wanted to find out whether this difference was only due to more sun exposure or whether other factors also play a role. That is why they compared all kinds of factors, such as income, education, gender and specific behaviour.
Higher income and education
This led to some remarkable conclusions. For example, people with a higher income run a greater risk of melanoma. That would be because they are more often in the sun, burn more often and have a more tanned skin. People with a higher level of education were also found to be more recreational in the sun. “Previous research has already shown that a higher socio-economic status is linked to more holidays in sunny places and recreational tanning. This ultimately ensures that there are more melanomas in this group of people,” explains researcher Ivan Litvinov of the McGill University out in Montreal.
On the other hand, people who earn less than $50,000 a year are more likely to work outside the home. As a result, their skin receives more direct sunlight, which in turn increases the risk of skin cancer. The researchers therefore argue for more policy to protect people who work outdoors against the dangerous consequences of UV radiation.
Men burn more often
Finally, there is also a difference between men and women: women can be found less in the bright sun and protect their skin better than men. Men report on average more times that their skin burned in their lives and they also say they are more recreational and work-related in the sun. Men are therefore more likely to develop melanoma or other types of skin cancer. A side note is that women more often walk in the sun with bare arms or legs and make more use of sunbeds. This could explain why women are more likely to develop melanoma on one of their limbs.
Earlier help
Men appear to be more negative about skin protection and the use of sunscreen than women. They therefore use sunscreen less often, while women are more likely to worry about a birthmark and go to the doctor sooner. According to the scientists, this behavior contributes to lower melanoma and death rates among women.
Actions rather than words
The study also reveals that people living in the areas most at risk for skin cancer have had the most sunburn in their lives and spent the most hours in the sun. The surprising thing is that people in the risk areas actually have more knowledge about sun protection and the prevention of melanoma. “A large group of Canadians will have to convert the knowledge they have about sun protection into action. It all starts with using sunscreen. That is one of the most effective ways to prevent skin cancer,” says Litvinov.
Abolish VAT on sunscreen
Public health efforts should be targeted specifically at different demographics, the researchers say. “It is important to give a young single man a different message about sun protection than a mother of three,” says the researcher.
“Governments have a direct role in reducing the number of melanoma diagnoses. The disease not only causes a lot of human suffering, it also costs a lot of money and puts extra pressure on the healthcare system. Estimates are that the cost of skin cancer in Canada will reach $1 billion a year by 2030. Canada should do the same as many other countries and do away with VAT on sunscreen. This sends a clear signal that people will better protect themselves against the harmful rays of the sun,” says the researcher.
2023-09-03 12:02:48
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