Evaluation of National Skin Cancer Awareness Campaign - 2008-09

Sun protection methods

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The survey measured unprompted awareness of sun protection methods. Participants were asked to list all the ways that someone can protect themselves from the sun when outdoors. A summary of the results of statistical comparisons across surveys for overall unprompted awareness of sun protection methods, and the proportion who mentioned each method, is presented in Table 4.1.5. The results for awareness of sun protection methods are explained in further detail below.

The sun protection methods mentioned first were analysed in order to determine the relative salience of the various methods. The results for the sun protection methods first mentioned by 14-17 year olds and 18-24 year olds are shown in Figure 4.2.1. Just over half of 14-17 year olds (52%) mentioned sunscreen first pre-campaign, but this dropped to just over two-fifths in each summer survey (43% in February 2007 and 42% in February 2008 and February 2009). In addition, in February 2009, 14-17 year olds were more likely to mention a hat (37%), shade (3%), or sunglasses (3%) first compared to pre-campaign results (29%, 1%, and 1% respectively), maintaining improvements in hat (37%) and shade (3%) first mentions from February 2008. This suggests that the campaign increased the salience of sun protection methods other than sunscreen among 14-17 year olds. There were no significant differences in the sun protection methods mentioned first by 18-24 year olds across the five surveys.

In analysing unprompted awareness of sun protection methods, the researchers also investigated which sun protection methods received any mention by participants, regardless of the order in which they were mentioned. Figure 4.2.2 shows unprompted awareness of all sun protection methods for 14-17 year olds.

The results suggest that the campaign has been successful at increasing the salience of many methods of sun protection among 14-17 year olds. 14-17 year olds were more likely to mention all five of the sun protection methods targeted in the campaign in February 2009 compared to pre-campaign and February 2007, maintaining improvements found in February 2008. Most notably, from pre-campaign to February 2009, the proportion of 14-17 year olds mentioning sunglasses (Nov 06: 24%; Feb 09: 59%) and shade (Nov 06: 26%; Feb 09: 56%) more than doubled. Unprompted awareness of protective clothing among 14-17 year olds went from 61% prior to the first phase of the campaign to 78% in the final survey, awareness of hats went from 76% to 88%, and that of sunscreen went from 92% to 95%.

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Fourteen to 17 year olds were more likely to mention use of umbrellas prior to the first phase of the campaign than in each of the subsequent rounds of research, with 9% of 14-17 year olds mentioning umbrellas pre-campaign, and 6% mentioning them in February 2009. There was also a decrease, from 5% pre-campaign to 3% in February 2009, in the number of 14-17 year olds who mentioned avoiding the middle of the day as a way of protecting oneself from the sun. This may be because these methods of sun protection were not featured in the campaign. In addition, fewer 14-17 year olds mentioned 'slip, slop, slap' in February 2009 (5%) than pre-campaign (7%) and in February 2008 (7%). There was also an increase in the proportion of 14-17 year olds who said that they 'didn't know' any sun protection methods from February 2007 (1%) to February 2009 (2%).

The corresponding figures for awareness of sun protection methods among 18-24 year olds are shown in Figure 4.2.3. There were significant increases in 18-24 year olds' mentions of hats (85%) and sunglasses (56%) in February 2009 when compared to pre-campaign (80% and 39% respectively), with no differences between February 2009 and previous February surveys. For awareness of hats, for which there was also no difference between November 2006 and November 2007, this may represent a seasonal increase only. However, unprompted awareness of sunglasses was significantly higher in November 2007 (43%) than November 2006 (39%), suggesting a change that may not be attributable only to the season.

Eighteen to 24 year olds were also more likely to mention shade in February 2009 (50%) when compared to November 2006 (35%) and February 2007(45%), maintaining the gains achieved in February 2008 (53%). While there were more mentions of protective clothing in February 2009 (81%) than in the pre-campaign results (77%), this represented a significant (but small) decrease from February 2008 (84%). Comparing February 2009 results with previous surveys, no significant differences were found in 18-24 year olds' mentions of sunscreen.

Similar to the results for 14-17 year olds, 18-24 year olds were more likely to mention use of an umbrella in the pre-campaign survey (14%) compared with February 2009 (10%). There were also more mentions of avoiding the middle of the day pre-campaign (8%) than there were in the final survey (5%). The proportion of 18-24 year olds mentioning 'slip, slop, slap' was 4% in February 2009, which was also significantly lower then the 7% found pre-campaign. There was also an increase in the proportion of 14-17 year olds who said that they 'didn't know' any sun protection methods from February 2007 (0.2%) to February 2009 (1%).

Figure 4.2.4 shows the mean number of the five key sun protection methods for which participants exhibited unprompted awareness. The mean number of sun protection methods for which 14-17 year olds exhibited unprompted awareness was higher in February 2009 (3.8) than pre-campaign (2.8) and February 2007 (3.2). Among 18-24 year olds, there was also awareness of a greater number of sun protection methods, on average, in February 2009 (3.7) compared to pre-campaign (3.3) and February 2007 (3.5), the mean was slightly lower than that for February 2008 (3.8).

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Table 4.1.5 Overall unprompted awareness of sun protection methods

	14-17 year olds	18-24 year olds
Sunscreen	Increase in Feb 08 maintained (Feb 09: 95%)	No change (Feb 09: 94%)
Hat	Increase in Feb 08 maintained (Feb 09: 88%)	Seasonal increase only (Feb 09: 85%)
Clothing	Increase in Feb 08 maintained (Feb 09: 78%)	Decrease from Feb 08 high (Feb 09: 81%)
Sunglasses	Increase in Feb 08 maintained (Feb 09: 59%)	Seasonal increase only (Feb 09: 56%)
Shade	Increase in Feb 08 maintained (Feb 09: 56%)	Increase in Feb 08 maintained (Feb 09: 50%)
Mean number of ways of which aware	Awareness of more methods in Feb 09 than pre-campaign and Feb 07 (Feb 09: 3.8 out of 5)	Awareness of more methods in Feb 09 than pre-campaign and Feb 07, but slightly fewer than Feb 08 (Feb: 3.7 out of 5)

Figure 4.2.1 Sun protection method mentioned first

Text version of figure 4.2.1

Wave 1: 14-17 yrs, n=1,105; 18-24 yrs, n=1,120
Wave 2: 14-17 yrs, n=1,096; 18-24 yrs, n=1,123
Wave 3: 14-17 yrs, n=993; 18-24 yrs, n=1,006
Wave 4: 14-17 yrs, n=1,011; 18-24 yrs, n=1,010
Wave 5: 14-17 yrs, n=1,009; 18-24 yrs, n=1,004

Figure 4.2.2 Unprompted awareness of sun protection methods among 14-17 year olds

Text version of figure 4.2.2

Wave 1: 14-17 yrs, n=1,105
Wave 2: 14-17 yrs, n=1,096
Wave 3: 14-17 yrs, n=993
Wave 4: 14-17 yrs, n=1,011
Wave 5: 14-17 yrs, n=1,009

Figure 4.2.3 Unprompted awareness of sun protection methods among 18-24 year olds

Text version of figure 4.2.3

Wave 1: 18-24 yrs, n=1,120
Wave 2: 18-24 yrs, n=1,123
Wave 3: 18-24 yrs, n=1,006
Wave 4: 18-24 yrs, n=1,010
Wave 5: 18-24 yrs, n=1,004

Figure 4.2.4 Mean number of sun protection methods for which unprompted awareness was exhibited (out of 5)

Text version of figure 4.2.4

Wave 1: 14-17 yrs, n=1,105; 18-24 yrs, n=1,120
Wave 2: 14-17 yrs, n=1,096; 18-24 yrs, n=1,123
Wave 3: 14-17 yrs, n=993; 18-24 yrs, n=1,006
Wave 4: 14-17 yrs, n=1,011; 18-24 yrs, n=1,010
Wave 5: 14-17 yrs, n=1,009; 18-24 yrs, n=1,004

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