"Explores the many methodological and conceptual issues that need to be resolved before researchers can establish reliable predictions of the health consequences of stratospheric ozone depletion. The book responds to major deficiencies in the data needed to estimate the size of health effects likely to arise from an almost certain increase in ultraviolet (UV) irradiance at the earth's surface, caused by environmental change. Specific research proposals are intended to guide the design of a large geographical correlation study to be conducted as part of The International Research Programme on Health, Solar UV Radiation and Environmental Change (INTERSUN). The book has thirteen chapters, each focused on methodological issues and their relevance to the design of the proposed international study. The first chapter evaluates methods for predicting changes in the incidence of skin cancer. Four subsequent chapters evaluate recent trends in the incidence of melanoma and non-melanocytic skin cancer, review evidence on the causes of these trends, and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of current approaches to the measurement of incidence. Chapter six considers the possible use, for monitoring purposes, of biological markers. Subsequent chapters review methods for measuring the effects of solar UV radiation on the immune system and on the eye. Other chapters assess trends in UV irradiance at the surface of the earth, and describe the range of currently available instruments for measuring UV radiation, concluding that spectral monitoring is the preferred method of measurement."

Support: Paper