Self‐reported skin colour and erythemal sensitivity vs. objectively measured constitutive skin colour in an African population with predominantly dark skin. Issue 6 (24th August 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wright, Caradee Y.; Wilkes, Marcus; du Plessis, Johan L.; Reeder, Anthony I.
• Is Part Of: Photodermatology, photoimmunology & photomedicine. Volume 31:Issue 6(2015)
• Page Start: 315
• Page End: 324
• Publication Date: 2015-08-24
• Subjects: Photosensitivity disorders -- Periodicals; Dermatology -- Periodicals; Immunology -- Periodicals; 616.5
• DOI: 10.1111/phpp.12191
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0905-4383

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="phpp12191-abs-0001"> <title>Summary</title> <sec id="phpp12191-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p>Skin colour is an important factor in skin‐related diseases. Accurate determination of skin colour is important for disease prevention and supporting healthy sun behaviour, yet such data are lacking for dark skin types.</p> </sec> <sec id="phpp12191-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>Self‐perceived, natural skin colour and sun–skin reaction were compared with objectively measured skin colour among an African population with predominantly dark skin. Unexposed skin of 556 adults (70.1% Black) was measured with a reflectance spectrophotometer to calculate an individual typology angle (°ITA). Participants reported self‐perceived skin colour and erythemal sensitivity.</p> </sec> <sec id="phpp12191-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>There was a strong, positive monotonic correlation between self‐reported and measured skin colour (Spearman ρ = 0.6438, <italic>P</italic> < 0.001), but only a weak correlation between self‐reported erythemal sensitivity and measured skin colour (Spearman ρ = 0.2713, <italic>P</italic> < 0.001). Self‐report biases in underestimation and overestimation of skin colour were evident. Many participants with 'dark brown' and 'black' skin had difficulty in classifying erythemal sensitivity.</p> </sec> <sec id="phpp12191-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>In Africa, self‐reported skin colour could potentially be used in lieu of spectrophotometer measurements, but options for questions on sunburn and tanning require suitable adjustment. Our study provides evidence of range in °ITA values among residents in Africa and reinforces previous results that self‐report may be reliable for determining skin colour, but not erythemal sensitivity, for dark skin individuals.</p> </sec> </abstract>