SunSmart Victoria’s new hard-hitting campaign is calling on Victorians not to be complacent when it comes to sun protection, as experts claim we must stay focused on addressing the risks associated with UV radiation across the state.
SunSmart Victoria acknowledges the positive progress in skin cancer prevention in Victoria, following insights from the 2022 Summer Sun Protection Survey, Life in Australia reported a remarkable 87% of respondents agreed that if they regularly protect themselves from the sun, they can protect themselves from skin cancer. This is testament to the great progress we have made with our skin cancer prevention programs and campaigns across this state.
However, the research also shows that only one in two Victorians were using sun protection as part of their daily routine during summer and it is often the everyday activities people do that leave them exposed to UV radiation. This is demonstrated in the survey which revealed over one-third of recent sunburns occurred when people were undertaking everyday activities like walking, gardening, and playing with the kids and nearly one-third of sunburns occurred at home or a friend’s house.
Head of SunSmart Victoria, Emma Glassenbury said while it is fantastic to see the high level of understanding of the connection between using sun protection and reducing your risk of skin cancer, ongoing work needs to be done to ensure sun protection is part of everyone’s daily routine.
“We live in a beautiful state which we want to go out and enjoy, but we need to do this by being conscious of the extreme levels of UV that put us at risk. Our data shows that it is often everyday outdoor activities where people fail to use sun protection, exposing their skin to the sun’s harmful UV radiation,” said Ms Glassenbury.
