Skin cancer - behavioural research

Current research

Completed research

Current research

Sun protection policies and practices among companies employing outdoor workers

Sun protection behaviours and related attitudes

SunSmart Program evaluations

Sun: news content analysis

Sun: magazine content analysis

Photographic study of sun behaviours

Behaviours associated with sun protection among secondary students in Australia

Observed sun protection behaviours of people at leisure in public places around Melbourne

Retrospective study of patient detection of melanoma

Secondary Schools Shade Intervention Study

National study of sun protection behaviours and related attitudes

Survey of sun protection policies and practices among companies employing outdoor workers - 2008 workplace survey

Principal Investigators: Jen Makin, Kate Francis (CBRC); Shannon Handley (SunSmart)
Aims:

To investigate the prevalence of sun protection policies and practices among companies employing outdoor workers.
To determine the extent of skin cancer claims which are made against companies employing outdoor workers.
To explore current sun protection education and training practices and needs among companies employing outdoor workers.

Funding: SunSmart
Contact: Jen Makin at CBRC

Sun protection behaviours and related attitudes

Principal Investigators: David Hill, Suzanne Dobbinson, Melanie Wakefield, John Lipscomb, Mohammad Siahpush
Aims:

To describe the outdoor activities of a representative sample of suburban Australians on days of leisure.
To relate these outdoor activities to people's sun protection behaviour (SPB).
To relate their SPB to objective measures of atmospheric temperature and solar radiation, and to subjective assessments of weather conditions.
To relate their SPB to demographic and psychosocial variables.
To relate skin type to outdoor activities and SPB.
To obtain a baseline against which changes in sun protection behaviour may be evaluated.
To add indices of pro-tanning media (from magazines) to the survey data to enable analysis of effects of pro-tan and SunSmart media on tanning attitudes, sun protection behaviour and sunburn.

Funding: The Cancer Council Victoria; VicHealth
Contact: Suzanne Dobbinson at CBRC
Reports/Papers:

Dobbinson SJ, Wakefield MA, Jamsen KM, Herd NL, Spittal MJ, Lipscomb JE, Hill DJ. Weekend sun protection and sunburn in Australia: trends (1987-2002) and association with SunSmart television advertising. American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2008; 34(2): 94-101.

SunSmart Program evaluations

Principal Investigators: Suzanne Dobbinson, Colleen Doyle, Melanie Wakefield
Aims: This program of evaluative research examines specific areas of the SunSmart program's activities.
Contact: Suzanne Dobbinson at CBRC
Publications:
Makin J, Dobbinson S, Strong K. Awareness, understanding and use of the SunSmart UV Alert by the Victorian public. CBRC Research Paper Series No. 30. Melbourne, Australia: Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, The Cancer Council Victoria, September 2007.
Downloadable PDF copy [333kb]

Sun: news content analysis

Principal Investigators: Helen Dixon, Melanie Wakefield
Aim(s): The aim of this project is to document trends in news coverage concerning tanning/sun protection/vitamin D featured in the Herald Sun and The Age from 1993 to date. The data from this project will then be examined alongside population survey data from the Sun Survey to test for associations between trends in news coverage concerning tanning/sun protection/vitamin D and attitudinal and behavioural trends concerning tanning/sun protection among the Victorian population

Funding: The Cancer Council Victoria
Contact: Helen Dixon at CBRC

Sun: magazine content analysis

Principal Investigators: Helen Dixon, Melanie Wakefield
Aim(s): To content analyse the portrayal of tanning and clothing fashion in Australian women's magazines over almost two decades of the SunSmart skin cancer prevention campaign. The data from this project will then be examined alongside population survey data from the Sun Survey to test for associations between trends in magazine coverage concerning tanning/sun protection and women's attitudinal and behavioural trends concerning tanning/sun protection.
Funding: VicHealth; The Cancer Council Victoria
Contact: Helen Dixon at CBRC

Photographic study of sun behaviours

Principal Investigators: Suzanne Dobbinson
Aim(s): The aim of the study is to use photographic records as an objective measure of protective clothing, especially hats, in order to monitor trends over time. This data will be useful in evaluating the effectiveness of SunSmart, and other skin cancer control campaigns.
Funding: The Cancer Council Victoria; VicHealth
Contact: Suzanne Dobbinson at CBRC

Behaviours associated with sun protection among secondary students in Australia

Principal Investigator(s): Trish Livingston, Victoria White, Jane Hayman, Suzanne Dobbinson
Aim(s): The aim of this research was to ascertain trends in self-care practices among Australian secondary school students since 1993.
Contact: Trish Livingston at CBRC

Observed sun protection behaviours of people at leisure in public places around Melbourne

Principal Investigator(s): Helen Dixon, Magdalena Lagerlund, Suzanne Dobbinson, Melanie Wakefield, David Hill, Cathy Segan
Aim(s):

To provide an observational index for monitoring trends in sun protection behaviour.
To describe differences in sun protection behaviour related to demographic variables, activity settings and weather conditions.
To explore associations between SunSmart campaign activity and people's sun protection behaviour.
To compare observational data with self-report data from the survey of sun protection behaviours and related attitudes.

Funding: The Cancer Council Victoria; VicHealth
Contact: Helen Dixon at CBRC

Publications:
Dixon HG, Lagerlund M, Spittal MJ, Hill DJ, Dobbinson SJ, Wakefield MA. Use of sun-protective clothing at outdoor leisure settings from 1992 to 2002: serial cross-sectional observation survey. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention 2008; 17(2): 428-434.

Retrospective study of patient detection of melanoma

Principal Investigator(s): David Hill; Wendy Liu (Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute); Ron Borland (VCTC); John Kelly (dermatologist); Chris Howe (plastic surgeon); Melanie Wakefield
Aim(s): To understand the circumstances in which people come to identify lesions which they regard as sufficiently suspicious to be checked by a doctor and to identify factors influencing delay in presentation of suspicious lesions.
Funding: Lions Melanoma Project
Contact: Melanie Wakefield at CBRC

Secondary Schools Shade Intervention Study

Principal Investigator: Suzanne Dobbinson
Associate Investigators: Melanie Wakefield, Dallas English, Vicki White, Trish Livingston
Aims: This intervention study aims to examine secondary students' use of shade following the introduction of a built shade structure. This simple innovative environmental approach to skin cancer control for adolescents is warranted given the limited impact to date of psychosocial interventions.
Funding: NHMRC
Contact: Suzanne Dobbinson at CBRC

National study of sun protection behaviours and related attitudes

Principal Investigator: David Hill, Suzanne Dobbinson, Craig Sinclair, Melanie Wakefield and interstate collaborators
Aims: The national study aims to:

provide comprehensive national data on preventive behaviours and risk assessment to help address the high incidence of skin cancer in the Australian population;
inform the development of a planned national skin cancer prevention campaign, including mass media;
obtain a baseline against which changes in sun protection behaviour may be evaluated;
provide an interstate control group for comparison to help test the efficacy of specific strategies implemented in certain states.

Funding: Supported by the State and Territory Cancer Councils; Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing
Contact: Suzanne Dobbinson at CBRC

Completed research

Development and testing UV forecast messages to enhance sun-protection behaviour

Principal Investigators: David Hill, Helen Dixon, David Karoly (Cooperative Research Centre for Southern Hemisphere Meteorology, Monash University)
Aim(s): This project has both a specific and a general health promotion orientation. The first issue to be addressed relates specifically to primary prevention of skin cancer. The effectiveness solar UV forecasts and supporting communications in assisting people to protect themselves from excessive sun exposure will be systematically evaluated using the Internet and e-mail as vehicles for communication. Secondly, at the level of health promotion in general, the feasibility of e-mail and the Internet for reaching target populations with timely prompts for health-related behaviour will be assessed.
Funding: Main project: VicHealth project grant. Pilot study: Perpetual Trustees grant
Contact: Helen Dixon at CBRC