Mobile phones under‐utilised opportunity to deliver skin cancer prevention messaging
September 14, 2018
Abstract
Melanoma skin cancer rates in Queensland exceed the national Australian incidence rate, which together with New Zealand are recognised as the world's highest. Incidence is especially high among younger members of the population. In this study, the sun‐protective behaviours of urban Queenslanders (n = 752) going about their day‐to‐day activities during a mid‐week noon time hourly period were observed on a summer's day in central Brisbane (27.47° S, 153.03° E), Australia. Observed sun protection practices were poor, given the time of year and peak solar noon‐period of the study. More individuals (n=249; 33.1%) were seen wearing sunglasses than a hat (n=101; 13.4%). Ninety‐three individuals were actively engaging with mobile phones (phone in hand). A further 231 individuals (30.7%) were observed with a mobile phone on them. Opportunities to modify group behaviour based on mobile phone sun protection notifications and to engage with ‘at risk’ members of the Queensland population are considered from the variable co‐dependencies examined in this study, including the influence of social group size, observed sun protection and mobile phone use. Our preliminary findings suggest that mobile phones provide an under‐utilised opportunity for delivering tailored skin cancer prevention messaging.
Source:
Dexter, B. , King, R. , Harrison, S. L., Parisi, A. V. and Downs, N. J. (2018), A Pilot Observational Study of Environmental Summertime Health Risk Behaviour in Central Brisbane, Queensland: Opportunities to Raise Sun Protection Awareness in Australia's Sunshine State. Photochem Photobiol. Accepted Author Manuscript. . doi:10.1111/php.13011