Modelling the environmental and anatomical solar untraviolet distribution in a school playground

The causative association between exposure to sunlight and the development of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer is well recognised. Intermittent sunburning episodes and chronic exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation significantly increase the risk of developing skin cancer. A large proportion of the solar ultraviolet received during childhood can be attributed to exposures received in the school playground. School playgrounds are essentially controlled environments. Increasing awareness and providing accurate predictions of ultraviolet exposure unique to individual school environments is an essential step that needs to be taken to educate children, teachers and school administrators of the risks faced in the playground and will contribute toward reducing unnecessary exposures. This is the first research to provide detailed maps of the ultraviolet exposure received in the school playground and upon the three dimensional skin surfaces of the body based on high density miniaturised polysulphone dosimeter measurements and environmental surveying of the playground environment. In this research, measurements of playground sky view were taken at 822 playground locations and UV exposure ratios were measured at 1453 body sites to map playground exposures and the three dimensional ultraviolet hot spots occurring on the face, neck, arm, hand and leg as a result of using that environment. Predictions of ultraviolet exposure were tested against measurements of erythemally effective ultraviolet exposure received by a cohort of school children using the modelled school playground. Effective shade, playground surface albedo, sky view and sunburning ultraviolet are provided for the modelled school and the suitability of the developed technique to provide estimates of personal ultraviolet exposure in the playground are discussed relative to the solar health risks experienced in Queensland.