Health Promotion Journal of Australia
August 2008 Volume 19, No 2
Are workers or their workplaces the key to occupational sun protection?
Vanessa Hammond, Anthony I. Reeder, Andrew R. Gray and Melanie L. Bell
Abstract
Issue addressed: High levels of sun exposure and skin cancer are experienced by outdoor workers. To develop effective preventive strategies it is important to understand which factors predict sun protection use.
Methods: Outdoor workers (n=74) in Central Otago, New Zealand, completed a questionnaire and recorded sun protection practices for five consecutive working days, January-March 2007.
Results: Sun protection was predicted by beliefs of personal susceptibility to skin cancer, suntan attitudes, and perceived workplace support, but not knowledge.
Conclusions: Both individual and workplace factors influence outdoor workers’ sun protection.
Key words: Skin cancer, suntan, protection, occupation.
So what?
Interventions for outdoor workers should aim for a settings-based approach to promote behavioural change.
Health Promotion Journal of Australia 2008; 19:97-101
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