Effect of the ultraviolet unweighted irradiance on the compliance of sunbeds in Spain.

The use of tanning devices in Spain is regulated by the Royal Decree 1002/2002, which is based on the European standard EN60335-2-27. The European standard establishes that the total unweighted irradiance between 200 and 280 nm must not exceed 0.003 Wm-2, a requirement that the Spanish regulation modified to 0.03 Wm-2 from 250 to 295 nm. With these differences, the compliance consideration of an artificial tanning device can vary. Spectral irradiance measurements of 41 tanning devices performed with a high-resolution spectroradiometer were analyzed. None of the tanning devices had irradiances higher than 0.003 Wm-2 between 250 (the shortest wavelength measured by the spectroradiometer) and 280 nm, but the limit required by Spanish regulation was exceeded by 11 devices, of which one would have been considered compliant according to the European standard since the effective irradiance was lower than 0.3 Wm-2. Beyond noting the differences that can occur in sunbed inspections according to the established criteria, this work has shown the differences in the spectral and total values of devices in use in Spain, validating the need for periodic inspections.

Validation of the 'CHRESI' questionnaire on habits related to sun exposure during childhood.

Sun exposure in childhood is the main risk determinant for skin cancer in adulthood. Several questionnaires have been used to examine behaviour patterns in terms of sun exposure in childhood, but none have been subjected to a rigorous analysis of their measurement properties. To evaluate the psychometric properties of a questionnaire adapted to investigate children's sun exposure behaviour, a two-stage validation study was carried out. First, in a transverse study, the questionnaire was administered to a sample of 333 children recruited from schools, and the validity and internal consistency were analysed. Second, 32 children recruited in a hospital setting were interviewed for the test-retest analysis. All the items in the 'Photoprotection habits' category were significantly correlated. Principal components analysis showed that two components accounted for over 53% of the variance. The Cronbach's α-coefficient was 0.63 for the first component and 0.43 for the second. In the stability analysis, the percentage of absolute agreement exceeded 70% for all the questions. The Questionnaire on Habits RElated to Sun exposure during Infancy (CHRESI) questionnaire examines sun protection habits by children. Its proven reliability, validity and stability make it a useful tool both in epidemiologic research and in the development and evaluation of campaigns to reduce the risk of skin cancer.