This research program was based on the Victorian Sun Protection Survey (VSPS) which was an approximately triennial telephone survey commencing in the summer of 1997-1998 until 2016-2017. It interviewed a representative sample of Victorians aged 14 to 69 years over summer about their sun-related attitudes, and their sun protection behaviours and sunburn on the past weekend. The study methods permitted examination of time trends in the prevalence of sun protection behaviours and sunburn, after adjusting for temperature, UV levels and other weather variables. The VSPS also provided an assessment of the population-based effects of skin cancer prevention policies and SunSmart’s skin cancer prevention mass media campaigns on sun protection behaviours. With the decline in response rates to telephone population surveys, the assessment of the national prevalence of sunburn and sun protection behaviours with potential to track change over time moved to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (see National sun protection surveys under Current projects).
CBRC staff
Dr Suzanne Dobbinson, Dr Tamara Tabbakh, A/Prof Helen Dixon, Prof Melanie Wakefield
Funding
SunSmart Victoria, Cancer Council Victoria
Years
1987 - present