Evaluation of National Skin Cancer Awareness Campaign - 2008-09
4.3 Attitudes
Table of contents
1. Executive summary- 2. Research context
- 3. Research design
4. Research findings- 4.1 Behaviours and intentions
- 4.2 Knowledge
- 4.3 Attitudes
- Skin cancers mainly occur in people with fair skin
- When used properly, sunscreen is an adequate protection on its own
- Treating skin cancer is a simple procedure
- Small amounts of sun exposure without protection are healthy and won't lead to skin damage
- Having my skin checked regularly is sufficient to prevent skin cancers
- Skin cancers can kill
- Skin cancers only affect older people who have spent years in the sun
- It is safe to tan gradually, as long as you don't get burnt
- Even using all the recommended sun protection, I would still get plenty of vitamin D
- 4.4 Advertising awareness and reactions
- 5. Conclusions and recommendations
- Appendix A - Campaign communication objectives
- Appendix B - Campaign materials
- Appendix C - Questionnaire
Level of agreement with a number of attitudinal statements was assessed on a five point scale, from strongly disagree to strongly agree. A summary of the results of statistical comparisons across surveys for attitudes, and the combined proportions of agreement/disagreement (as appropriate) with each at pre-campaign and in the latest survey, is presented in Table 4.1.7. Further detail on these results is provided below.
Table 4.1.7 Summary of attitudes
(see below) | 14-17 year olds | 18-24 year olds |
| Skin cancers mainly occur in people with fair skin | Continuing increase in disagreement (Feb 09: 45%) | No change in disagreement (Feb 09: 49%) |
| When used properly, sunscreen is an adequate protection on its own | Increase in disagreement in Feb 08 maintained (Feb 09: 31%) | No change in disagreement (Feb 09: 41%) |
| Treating skin cancer is a simple procedure | Increase in disagreement in Feb 08 maintained (Feb 09: 74%) | Increase in disagreement in Feb 08 maintained (Feb 09: 79%) |
| It's safe to tan gradually, as long as you don't get burnt | Increase in disagreement in Feb 08 maintained (Feb 09: 48%) | Increase in disagreement in Feb 08 maintained (Feb 09: 56%) |
| Small amounts of sun exposure without protection are healthy and won't lead to skin damage | No change in disagreement (Feb 09: 32%) | No change in disagreement (Feb 09: 36%) |
| Having my skin checked regularly is sufficient to prevent skin cancers | Increase in disagreement in Nov 07 maintained (Feb 09: 24%) | No change in disagreement (Feb 09: 41%) |
| Skin cancers can kill | Increase in agreement in Feb 08 maintained (Feb 09: 88%) | No change in agreement (Feb 09: 91%) |
| Skin cancers only affect older people who have spent years in the sun | Increase in disagreement in Feb 08 maintained (Feb 09: 74%) | Increase in disagreement compared to Feb 07 only (Feb 09: 85%) |
| Even using all the recommended sun protection, I would still get plenty of vitamin D | No change in agreement (Feb 09: 52%) | No change in agreement (Feb 09: 52%) |