ICCBH2017 Poster Presentations (1) (209 abstracts)
Validation of questionnaire for measurement of sunlight exposure in children from Pune, India
Rubina Mandlik 1 , Veena Ekbote 1 , Neha Kajale 1 , Vivek Patwardhan 1 , Smruti Vispute 1 , Utkarshini Kirtikar 1 , Anjali Jaiswal 1 , Dipali Ladkat 1 , Sonal Palande 1 , Pranati Deshpande 1 , Natasha Michael 1 , Varsha Deshpande 1 , Varsha Vartak 1 , Shashi Chiplonkar 1 , Vaman Khadilkar 1 , Raja Padidela 2 , Zulf Mughal 2 & Anuradha Khadilkar 1
1Hirabai Cowasji Jehangir Medical Research Institute, Pune, Maharashtra, India; 2Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, Manchester, UK.
Objective: Although there is adequate sunlight throughout the year, low serum 25OHD concentrations are being increasingly reported among Indian children (Gupta, 2014). Thus, quantifying individual sunlight exposure may be an important step in understanding hypovitaminosis D in sun-rich geographies. The objectives of our study were to quantify the sunlight exposure of school-children using a questionnaire and to use polysulphone film badges to validate the questionnaire administered.
Methods: The data reported is a part of an ongoing multi-centre, cross-sectional study to assess vitamin D status among Indian children. Sunlight exposure of a sub-set of 78 children aged (9.0–15.9 years) from a school in Pune city (18°N), Maharashtra was assessed during the month of July (the beginning of the monsoon season) using a questionnaire. Additionally, polysulphone (PSU dosimeter) film badges were given to all the children. These badges were mounted dorsally facing, in leather watch straps which were given to children to wear for 24 h on a typical school day. When all exposed badges were returned by participants they were sent to the laboratory at the University of Manchester for analysis and the resulting individual badge doses were reported in Standard Erythema Dose units (1 SED=100 J/m2).
Results: Analysis of the sunlight exposure questionnaire revealed a median sunlight exposure of 15 min (25th percentile, 75th percentile – 7.5 min, 30 min).Three children lost their badges and data obtained from three other children was found to be erroneous. Thus, 72 badges were analyzed and the mean standard erythemal dose (SED) was 0.57±0.27 SED. The erythemal dose increased with the increase in sunlight exposure as assessed by questionnaire (0.53, 0.61 and 0.65 SED in groups with up to 7.5 mins, 15 mins and 30 mins or more of sunlight exposure respectively).
Conclusion: We present a questionnaire which was validated using PSU badges which may be used for assessment of sunlight exposure in Indian children. Lower duration of exposure to sunlight may be a major contributing factor to the low levels of serum 25OHD generally estimated among Indian children.
Disclosure: The authors declared no competing interests.
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