Investigators
Dr Robyn Johnston, The Kids Research Institute Australia, Ms Sally Blane, Cancer Council WA, Dr Natalia Lizama, Cancer Council WA, Dr Jacinta Francis, The Kids Research Institute Australia
Partners
Cancer Council WA, WorkSafe WA, City of Armadale, City of Vincent, Surfing WA, Youth Affairs Council of WA (YACWA)
Project description
Engaging young people in sun safety messaging is important because they are vulnerable to the harmful long-term effects of too much sun exposure. What’s more, influencing adolescents’ behaviours into adult life supports durable change in the present culture of sun exposure.
However, the most recent SunSmart mass media campaign targeting WA young people was over a decade ago. Thus, there is a strong need for new research to examine the types of contemporary messaging that will encourage sun protection behaviours among WA youth to reduce their future skin cancer risk.
Our research therefore aims to identify relevant and effective strategies to promote sun-protective behaviours in young West Australians aged 14-24 years. Input and guidance from young people will be prioritised in the development of messaging and delivery strategies. This project is a collaboration between The Kids Research Institute Australia and Cancer Council WA.
This three-stage exploratory research will be guided by advisory groups made up of young people and our partner organisations:
Stage 1: Conduct online survey with 14-24 year olds (n=200) to explore their knowledge, attitudes and behaviours around sun protection and their preferences for messaging strategies and delivery contexts.
Stage 2: Develop pilot messages and strategies based on Stage 1 findings. Forty young people will then be consulted directly via focus groups to seek their responses to, and opinions of, these pilot messages and proposed delivery strategies. We will include young people from a range of demographics, to gain perspective on the best strategies based on where they spend their time, e.g. schools, universities or training institutes; workplaces; or during outdoor leisure activities, e.g. sports or festivals.
Stage 3: Combine young people’s input from Stages 1 and 2 to refine messaging and develop resources for message delivery across a range of settings, including mass media advertising, and in settings frequented by young people.
Project outcomes and learnings have the potential to be translated into multiple ongoing SunSmart initiatives. Importantly, this study brings the voices of young people to policy makers and partner organisations working with youth to reduce harms from sun exposure.
External collaborators
Cancer Council WAm Melbourne Centre for Behaviour Change (UniMelb) / Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer (Cancer Council Victoria)
Funders
This project was funded by a Healthway Health Promotion Exploratory Research Grant.