Possible decreasing trend in NZ sunburn prevalence

October 5, 2016

Background

The Health Promotion Agency undertakes the Sun Exposure Survey (SES) every three years. The purpose of this ongoing research is to collect consistent information on attitudes and behaviours towards sun exposure, to facilitate comparison with historical survey data, and to inform future decision making in the sun safety and skin cancer prevention sector.

Conclusion

The results from the 2016 SES suggest the beginning of a general decreasing trend in the prevalence of sunburn. Previous surveys showed the prevalence of being sunburnt on the previous weekend was relatively stable. However, the 2016 results show the prevalence of weekend sunburn has decreased significantly from 22% in 2013 to 15% in 2016. Surveys in the coming years are required to confirm whether this decrease represents an overall declining trend in sunburn. Compared to previous surveys, in both the 2016 and 2013 surveys, significantly higher proportions of respondents spent 15 minutes or more outdoors over the weekend.

Taken together, walking/running/tramping (22% combined) was the most popular outdoor activity among respondents in 2016. Over one-third of respondents (37%) reported engaging in outdoor activities that were based either in or next to the water. When outdoors during the previous weekend, most respondents (65%) in 2016 reported that they “had everything on hand that they needed to protect their skin from the sun.” Sunscreen use when outdoors is still higher than previous survey years, with exactly one-half (50%) of respondents in 2016 reporting they used sunscreen while outdoors over the previous weekend (compared to 31% in 1997 and 36% in 2000). Compared to previous survey years, respondents in 2016 applied sunscreen to a greater variety of body parts and a significantly higher proportion reported that they applied their sunscreen twice (40%) while they were outdoors. Attitudes towards tanning appear to have changed over time, with significantly fewer respondents (26%) in 2016 reporting that they “feel more healthy with a tan” than in all previous survey years from 2000 to 2013.

Similarly, when compared with previous survey years, respondents in 2016 were less likely to agree with the statements that “a suntan makes me feel better about myself” or “most of my friends think a suntan is a good thing.” More than three-quarters of the 2016 respondents (77%) reported that they checked the weather forecast prior to engaging in outdoor weekend activities. The main aspects of the weather forecast these respondents used to prompt them about sun protection were temperature (46%) and cloud cover (28%). Fewer respondents used the UV Index (10%) or the Sun Protection Alert (7%) to prompt them about using sun protection. Of those who did use the UV Index or the Sun Protection Alert, most saw it or heard it on the TV, the MetService website, or the MetService mobile app

Source:

Health Promotion Agency (2016). Sun Exposure Survey 2016 Questionnaire. Wellington: Health Promotion Agency
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