Lead researcher
Helen Dixon, Maree Scully, Suzanne Dobbinson, David Hill, Melanie Wakefield and collaborators
Years funded
2005 - present
This research program is examining two sources of media influence on sun protection behaviour, in the form of fashion trends for a darker tan and/or wearing of less clothing, and news coverage relevant to skin cancer prevention.
We have systematically sampled and coded magazine images of women from popular women's magazines from 1987 and news articles from 1993 from the two main Victorian daily newspapers.
Our research program is relating exposure to these two sources of media influence to sun protection attitudes and behaviours in our population surveys. This work ultimately aims to provide a clearer understanding of SunSmart media campaign effects in the presence of variable competing media messages.
Funding Body
Cancer Council Victoria, VicHealth