Scope for Health Promotion Among Small Outdoor Businesses

January 7, 2015

Background and Key Findings

Cancer Council SA's Behavioural Research and Evaluation Unit undertook a qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews to document knowledge, attitudes and behaviours related to skin cancer and sun protection among employees, contractors, employers and managers of small outdoor building and construction businesses.

Key findings included:

- Many participants did not engage in effective sun protection and did not routinely use sun protective measures.

- The use of sun protection by outdoor workers is influenced by a complex interplay of workplace and individual-level factors.

- A number of misconceptions among outdoor workers were identified.

- Awareness of the consequences of skin cancer and of workplace sun protection policy requirements among participants was generally poor.

- Workplace cultural norms related to sun protection appeared to play a significant role in determining individual sun protection practices, personal awareness of skin cancer risk and concern about sun protection.

- Both outdoor workers and employers acknowledged the importance of workplace sun protection policy, and perceived a need for this policy to be effectively communicated and enforced, along with education about the risks of skin cancer.

- There is considerable scope for health promotion initiatives targeting sun protection specifically aimed at workers and owners of small outdoor businesses.

Source:

Behavioural Research and Evaluation Unit (BREU), cancer council SA [online]. Cancer Forum, Vol. 38, No. 3, Dec 2014: 239-240. http://www.cancer.org.au/health-professionals/cancer-forum.html