Sun-Exposure-Related Healthcare Use: Analysis of Pharmacy Sales, SOS Médecins Records, and Emergency Department Visits: PRISME Study, Occitanie, Southern France, 2019–2022
by Leslie Simac, Olivier Catelinois, Yasmine Yahiaoui, Franck Golliot and Damien Mouly
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health
Date : 2026
Abstract
UV radiation causes health effects and repeated excessive sun exposure during childhood increases the risk of skin cancer in adulthood. The French region of Occitanie combines conditions conducive to sun exposure with a wide range of healthcare services. The study aims to describe temporal variations related to sun overexposure and patient characteristics, and evaluate the relevance of each data source. We conducted a retrospective analysis (2019–2022) on pharmacy sales, emergency care provided by SOS Médecins (SOSM), and emergency departments (EDs). More than 220,000 customers purchased products associated with sun overexposure, while 71 SOSM procedures and 417 ED visits were recorded. The activity is clearly seasonal, but remains five to ten times higher for pharmacies than for other sources. About 80% of ED patients were under 40 years of age, while 50% lived within 20 km of the consultation location. The impacts on healthcare systems vary, and each provides complementary insights into care related to sun overexposure. Increases in pharmacy sales are observed as early as spring, underscoring the need to strengthen prevention messaging from the start of the season. The study confirms the value of pharmacy sales data for assessing the impact of sun exposure, but ED or SOSM data enable real-time monitoring and patient characterization.
Keywords:
sunburn; sun-overexposure; solar UV; health impact; health care use; health care utilization; pharmacy; medicine; emergency department
