A new NSW Government report has revealed more people are protecting their skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays, however an estimated 700,000 people across the state were recently sunburnt.
The Cancer Institute NSW’s Sun Protection Behaviours Report shows 10% of adults reported being sunburnt at least once in the four-week period before they were surveyed, down from almost 15% from the previous report.
However, there was no improvement from the previous report in the number of young adults, aged 18-24 years, getting sunburnt, with around one in five (18.5%) reporting a recent sunburn. Young adults were also less likely to adopt sun protection behaviours such as wearing protective clothing, a hat and sunglasses, researchers found.
The report also provided insights on sun exposure, finding around 40% of all surveyed adults were frequently exposed to the sun from 11am-3pm, when UV levels are highest, yet only around 40% used three or more forms of sun protection.
“Two-out-of-three Australians will be treated for skin cancer in their lifetime. In Australia, 95% of melanoma and 99% of non-melanoma skin cancers are caused by overexposure to UV radiation from the sun and can be prevented with proper sun protection. The general rule is to protect your skin from the sun when the UV index is at three or above, which in NSW is most of the year, including in winter,” the Cancer Council said in a statement.
“The Cancer Institute NSW has several initiatives in place to reduce the incidence of skin cancer in NSW as part of the NSW Skin Cancer Prevention Strategy 2023-2030. Initiatives include behaviour change campaigns, influencing shade provision in public spaces and working with organisations in areas where people work, live and play to adopt sun protection policies and behaviours.”
It says the most effective defence against overexposure to UV radiation is to follow these five key steps:
- Slip on protective clothing
- Slop on SPF50+ sunscreen 20 minutes before you go out, and reapply every two hours
- Slap on a wide brimmed hat that covers your face, ears and neck
- Seek shade throughout the day
- Slide on sunglasses that meet Australian Standards
The report also outlined how more than 85% of adults used at least one form of sun protection, however, only 38% used three or more, and less than 5% used all five forms of sun protection.
“We are fortunate to live in a sun-drenched country but with that comes the increased risk of skin cancer, that’s why it is worrying that so many adults have been recently sunburnt,” said NSW Chief Cancer Officer and Chief Executive Cancer Institute NSW, Professor Tracey O’Brien AM.
“The report shows while progress has been made, we need to see more people protect their skin from the sun by doing the simple things we’ve been told for decades like seeking shade, wearing sunscreen, putting on a hat, sunglasses and protective clothing whenever we head outdoors.”
- Men aged 40 and over were also found to be more likely than the overall population to be exposed to the sun during peak UV hours (11am–3pm). Although they were more likely to wear a sun-safe hat, they were less likely to use sunscreen, researchers said.
The latest Sun Protection Behaviours Report analyses data from the 2024 NSW Health Population Health Survey, which asked about 10,000 people to report on their sun exposure, episodes of sunburn, adoption of the five sun protection behaviours and the ease of finding shade at public parks.
“The release of the latest Sun Protection Behaviours Report is a good reminder especially to the state’s young adults to protect their skin when outside,” said Health Minister, Ryan Park.
“Australia has one of the highest skin cancer rates in the world and we need to take the threat of skin cancer seriously and follow the simple, life-saving steps needed to reduce our risk of this deadly disease.”
More information on how to reduce your risk of skin cancer is available on the Cancer Institute NSW website.
