Indicator Gauge Icon Legend
Legend Colors
Red is bad, green is good, blue is not statistically different/neutral.
Compared to Distribution
the value is in the best half of communities.
the value is in the 2nd worst quarter of communities.
the value is in the worst quarter of communities.
Compared to Target
meets target; 
does not meet target.
Compared to a Single Value
lower than the comparison value;
higher than the comparison value;
not statistically different from comparison value.
Trend
non-significant change over time; 
significant change over time; 
no change over time.
Compared to Prior Value
higher than the previous measurement period;
lower than the previous measurement period;
no statistically different change from previous measurement period.
Significantly better than the overall value
Significantly worse than the overall value
No significant difference with the overall value
No data on significance available
Daily Dose of UV Irradiance
This indicator is archived and is no longer being updated. Click to learn more
This indicator shows the annual average daily dose of Ultraviolet (UV) irradiance. The daily dose of UV irradiance is calculated in Joules per square meter and is averaged over a full year. UV irradiance data is calculated at the county level based on population weighted census tract values.
This indicator represents environmental exposures per unit area and do not directly account for personal exposures at an individual level.
Why is this important?
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation, although not visible to the human eye, is responsible for sunburns and a number of other adverse health effects, particularly for people who spend time outdoors without sun protection. These adverse health effects include skin cancer, premature aging of the skin, suppression of the immune system, and cataracts and other eye damage. The level of UV radiation that reaches earth's surface and thus can affect the health of people, can vary depending on many factors including the ozone layer thickness. As the ozone layer has thinned over time due to the release of ozone-depleting substances that have been widely used by humans in industry, the ozones ability to absorb UV radiation has decreased, increasing the risk of adverse health effects in people.
Joule per square meter
| County | Source | Measurement Period | Joule per square meter | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Data Source
- National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network
Maintained By: Conduent Healthy Communities Institute (Methodology)
Filed under: Environmental Health / Weather & Climate, Physical Determinants of Health