July 2024
July 25, 2024 -UV Safety Month and World Hepatitis Day (July 28)
UV Safety Month is celebrated during the month of July and is an opportunity to take time to learn about UV radiation and the effects that it has on the body, and to learn how you can protect yourself by preventing sun damage from overexposure like sunburn and skin cancer.
UV or ultraviolet radiation is a form of energy that is invisible to the eye.
Most common form of UV radiation is sunlight which produces 3 main types of UV rays:
- UVA, UVB, UVC where most UV rays we come in contact with is UVA, and small amount UVB
The risks of over-exposure of UV rays can be damage skin and eye like:
- Sunburn: Sign of short-term overexposure
- Premature aging and skin cancer: Side effects of prolonged UV exposure
- Increased risk for eye diseases such as cataracts (cloudiness in the eyes) or eye cancer
You can also be exposed to UV radiation from:
- Tanning booths
- Mercury vapor lighting
- Some halogen, fluorescent, and incandescent lights
- Some types of lasers
Ways to protect yourself from UV rays is from:
- Sunscreen
- Broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher
- Shade
- Such as an umbrella, tree, or another form of shelter
- Clothing
- Like long-sleeved t-shirts or long pants to protect from UV rays or alternatively, wear a t-shirt or beach cover-up
- Wear hats with a brim that shade face, ear, and back of your neck AND
- Use sunglasses that provide 100% UV or UV400 protection, block both UVA and UVB rays and one that wrap-around your eyes work best
World Hepatitis Day is on July 28th and it serves as an opportunity to increase efforts on hepatitis, encourage actions and engagement by individuals, and highlight the need for a greater global response. The date holds significance because it is the birthday of Nobel-Prize winning scientist, Dr. Baruch Blumberg, who discovered the hepatitis B virus and who also developed diagnostic test and vaccine for the virus. The goal that has been laid out by the World Health Organization is to eliminate hepatitis by 2030.
There are 5 main types of hepatitis, A-E.
The most common types in the United States are Hepatitis A-C.
In 2022 (US):
- Hepatitis A – There were 2,265 reported cases
- Hepatitis B – There were 2,126 acute hepatitis B cases and 16,729 newly reported chronic hepatitis B cases
- Acute hepatitis refers to inflammation of the liver that lasts less than 6 months
- Chronic hepatitis refers to inflammation of the liver that lasts more than 6 months
- Hepatitis C – There were 4,848 acute hepatitis C cases and 93,805 newly reported chronic hepatitis C cases
Hepatitis A rates decreased 88% between 2019-2022, acute hepatitis B rates remained stable, and acute hepatitis C rates decreased 6.3% between 2021-2022.
While there are vaccines available to prevent Hepatitis A and B, there is not one for Hepatitis C.
