Abstract
Purpose :
The association between different forms of childhood ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure and uveal melanoma remains controversial, providing an area of need for further research. The purpose of this study was to test the face validity of a questionnaire assessing childhood UVR exposure to patients with conditions known to be related to UVR and control.
Methods :
A case-control study was performed. Two groups of patients were enrolled. The UVR related group included peri-ocular and ocular surface malignancies related to UVR exposure including squamous cell carcinomas, ocular surface squamous neoplasia, and basal cell carcinomas. The second group included non UVR related diseases such as thyroid related orbitopathy, glaucoma, and dry eye. Patients were asked to complete the questionnaire and recall the amount of time they spent in the sun as a child (i.e., 20 years of age or younger) seasonally and on weekdays versus weekends. Participants’ time spent in the sun was compared using Pearson’s Chi2 based on whether their diagnosis was related to UVR exposure.
Results :
There were 266 participants in this study, 47.7% (n = 127) had a diagnosis unrelated to UVR exposure. There were no statistically significant differences in the amount of time spent in the sun based on diagnostic subgroups in the non-summer seasons on weekdays (0.62; p = 0.89) or weekends (5.56; p = 0.14). There were statistically significant differences in the amount of time spent in the sun based on diagnostic subgroups in the summer on weekdays (8.56; p = 0.04) and weekends (11.41; p = 0.003). Diagnostic subgroups also significantly differed in the amount of time they spent in environments with reflected light (29.41; p < 0.001).
Conclusions :
Several questions assessing UVR exposure in childhood were statistically associated with UVR related diagnosis providing reasonable face validity that this questionnaire is assessing UVR exposure. Future research on a larger cohort that will allow for subgroup analysis should be performed to better evaluate the variation found between different forms of childhood UVR exposure.
This abstract was presented at the 2024 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, WA, May 5-9, 2024.