Drinking Increases the Risk of Sunburn

Alcohol consumption may increase the risk of basal cell carcinoma and melanoma, although data are inconclusive. In this study, a researcher explored whether drinking may increase the risk of sunburn, a known risk factor for skin cancer. He examined data from 299,658 respondents (response rate 77%) to the 2004 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a national telephone survey.

• One third of adults reported sunburn (red skin for more than 12 hours) in the past year.
• Respondents with a heavy drinking episode (>=5 drinks on an occasion in the past month) were more likely than those without a heavy drinking episode to report sunburn (52% vs. 30%, a significant difference in adjusted analyses).
• Respondents who usually drank <1 to >=3 standard drinks per day in the past month also had an increased prevalence of sunburn. Their risk generally increased as the amounts they consumed increased (odds ratios comparing drinkers with nondrinkers ranged from 1.2 to 1.4 in analyses adjusted for demographic and behavioral factors).
• An estimated 18% of all sunburns were attributable to alcohol use.

Comments:

Because the findings are from a cross-sectional survey, they should be confirmed in other studies. But, it is certainly plausible that excess sun exposure can be added to the list of risky behaviors associated with alcohol.

Richard Saitz, MD, MPH

Reference:

Mukamal KJ. Alcohol consumption and self-reported sunburn: a cross-sectional, population-based survey. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2006;55(4):584–589.