Impact of Sun Exposure on Australian Farmers' Health

This report examines the critical issue of sun exposure and skin protection within the context of rural nursing, specifically focusing on the health of Australian farmers. It highlights the significant risks associated with prolonged UV exposure, emphasizing that farmers are exposed to significantly higher levels of UV radiation compared to indoor workers. The report delves into the various risk factors contributing to sun damage, including fair skin, sunburns, and the nature of agricultural work. It also explores the impact of sun exposure on farmers' health outcomes, including the increased risk of skin cancer. The report stresses the importance of health campaigns and protective measures, such as appropriate clothing and sunscreen. It acknowledges the challenges in implementing these measures due to the independent, geographically spread nature of farms and the demanding daily schedules of farmers. The role of nurses in providing healthcare services and promoting health education is also highlighted, especially in delivering care to farmers in rural and remote areas. The report concludes by emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to mitigate the adverse health effects of sun exposure on the farming population.

Rural and Remote Area
Nursing

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
SKIN PROTECTION AND INCIDENCE OF SUN EXPOSURE ISSUE.....................................1
RISK FACTORS FOR SUN EXPOSURE......................................................................................2
IMPACT OF SUN EXPOSURE ON HEALTH OUTCOMES OF FARMERS.............................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................4

INTRODUCTION
It can be assessed that sun exposure and skin protection is considered as one of the major
issue impacting upon the health of people especially the Australian farmers. Exposure from the
sun causes skin damage and enhances the risk of developing skin cancer. However, Australia has
reached the highest rate in skin cancer disease globally (Jeffery, C. A and et. al., 2014). Also, it
has been identified that farmers receive at least three times the UV exposure as compared to
indoor workers. Thus, health care services have been increased in particular country, and farmers
are asked to wear a UV measuring device on their forehead during the whole European summer.
Main effects to farmers of the sun exposure were between 12-4 pm when farmers carry out the
activity such as mustering cattle and fixing fences.
SKIN PROTECTION AND INCIDENCE OF SUN EXPOSURE ISSUE
Skin protection is considered as one of the major issue impacting upon the health of
Australian farmers and thus overcome such risk by adopting protective measures such as
appropriate clothing and UV creams would help in decreasing the risk of sun exposure (Smit-
Kronor & Brumby 2015). Thus, the government was also focusing on promoting health
campaign and thus protecting people living in rural and remote areas of Australia and overcome
their health issue. In the global world, rural and agricultural population are known to be at high
risk for skin cancer (Hegney, 2012). Thus, Australian farmers have been reaching a higher
standardised mortality rate due to melanoma and other skin cancers. Further, there are certain
factors that may increase the risk of skin cancer such as UV rays and thus reducing such risk may
prevent the individual from such diseases. Therefore, Australian farmers are provided better
control measures regarding protecting themselves from UV and thus overcome risk factor of skin
cancer. Hence, it can be stated that sun exposure causes harmful impact upon the health of
Australian farmers (Sato, M and et. al., 2015).
Care setting is focused on delivering better care facilities to people living in rural and
remote areas of Australia in regard to providing them proper care and support services so that
they live a healthy life. It is also essential for investigating the health issues within population i.e.
Australian farmers regarding sun exposure and skin protection issues that impact the health of
farmers (Boehm, Franklin and King, 2014). Therefore, HSC plays crucial role in providing care
to farmers and inform them different ways of protecting themselves from the rays of the sun so
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that it could not harm their skin. Following are the different risk factors for sun exposure such as
Fair skin, Sunburns, Excessive sun exposure, Sunny or high altitude climates and Skin cancer.
RISK FACTORS FOR SUN EXPOSURE
UV light is a major risk factor that affects an individual's chance of getting a disease such
as cancer. Through run rays, skin cancer is caused and thus. The risk of sun exposure to
Australian farmers is more as compared to other populations. This is because of various factors.
Australia has hotter and longer heat waves thus increasing the risk of skin cancer. Further, main
work of farmers is carried out in the day between 12-4 pm and thus sun rays affect them the
most. (Jeffery, C. A and et. al., 2014). Though use of sunscreen cream has been found to be an
effective intervention for reducing the risk of skin cancer caused due to exposure to sun. But, it
can be critically evaluated that farmers are not likely to use sun screen cream. Moreover, there is
also low level of re-application of sunscreen. This is because considering the daily schedule of
farmers, applying sun screen creams and re-applying them after every two hours is not feasible.
This indicates the lack of adoption of protective behaviour by the farming population.
Another risk factor is that there are certain characteristics of farms which make it difficult for the
farmers to adopt protective practices. As workplaces, farms are independent, small and
geographically spread. Hence, there is difficulty in implementing workplace policies that could
reduce the exposure of farmers to sun. Moreover, it also become unfeasible to target a health
campaign to farms.
Here, nurses play a significant role in delivering health care services to people in rural
and remote areas of Australia so that farmers can be protected from prevailing health issue i.e.
skin problems. Health promotion needs to be targeted to Australian farmers living in rural and
remote areas so that they can understand the ill effects of sun exposure and skin protection that
impacts the health of farmers (Hegney, 2012). Proper health campaign needs to be launched so
that information regarding adoption of healthy behaviours could be provided to people in regard
to assessing the risk factors for sun exposure within Australian farmer population and its impact
on health outcomes. Considering the impact of sun exposure, emphasis should be laid on
educating the farmers working in remote and rural areas of Australia so that their health needs
could be fulfilled. (Abdoli and Abdoli, 2015).
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IMPACT OF SUN EXPOSURE ON HEALTH OUTCOMES OF FARMERS
Sun exposure is found very high on the health outcomes of Australian farmers that affects
their health and get affected from sunlight. Sunrays directly impacts the farmers and thus affect
their health in various ways so that their efficiency decreases. Therefore, it is essential for
farmers to undertake effective methods to protect them from sunlight and thus improves their
health.
CONCLUSION
Sun damage among farmers is due to prolonged exposure to solar radiation and is
considered as serious problem for farmers. Various risk factors hampering farmers due to sun
damage includes long time duration to the exposure of its rays, clothes are wore less or the white
skin which is burn easily. However, agricultural work also increases the risk of cancer mainly
due to exposure of sunlight (Chuenkongkaew, and et. al., 2016). Thus, rural and remote nurses
and doctors are required to focus upon such health issue that helps in overcoming the risk in
regard to deliver best care and support services to farmers.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Abdoli, S., & Abdoli, S. (2015). Quality of life in people with type 2 diabetes living in rural and
remote areas, Iran. International Journal of Diabetes in Developing Countries, 35(2), 290-
297,
Boehm, J., Franklin, R. C., & King, J. C. (2014). Falls in rural and remote community dwelling
older adults: a review of the literature. Australian journal of rural health, 22(4), 146-155,
Chuenkongkaew, W. L. & et. al., (2016). Attitude towards working in rural area and self-
assessment of competencies in last year medical students: A survey of five countries in
Asia. BMC Medical Education, 16(1), 238.
Hegney, D. (2012). Rural and remote area nursing: An Australian perspective. Online Journal of
Rural Nursing and Health Care, 3(1), 5-7,
Jeffery, C. A. & et. al., (2014). The value of best-practice guidelines for OSCEs in a
postgraduate program in an Australian remote area setting. Rural and remote health, 14(3),
2469-1,
Sato, M. & et. al., (2015). Committed to working for the community: Experiences of a public
health nurse in a remote area during the Great East Japan Earthquake. Health care for
women international, 36(11), 1224-1238,
Smit-Kronor & Brumby (2015). Farmers sun exposure, skin protection and public health
campaignsL AN Australian perspective. Preventative Medicine Reports, 2, 602-607,
November 2016].
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