Australian primary school communities' understandings of SunSmart: a qualitative study
Abstract Objectives: Skin cancer represents a major health issue for Australia. Childhood sun exposure is an important risk factor and evidence suggests the use of sun protection measures by Australian school children could be improved. This study examines how the SunSmart Program, a school‐based sk...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2017-10-01
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| Series: | Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12677 |
| _version_ | 1797713082028392448 |
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| author | Matthew Winslade Bradley Wright Dean Dudley Wayne Cotton Alexandra Brown |
| author_facet | Matthew Winslade Bradley Wright Dean Dudley Wayne Cotton Alexandra Brown |
| author_sort | Matthew Winslade |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Objectives: Skin cancer represents a major health issue for Australia. Childhood sun exposure is an important risk factor and evidence suggests the use of sun protection measures by Australian school children could be improved. This study examines how the SunSmart Program, a school‐based skin cancer prevention resource, can be supported to further increase sun protection behaviours to assist in lowering skin cancer incidence. Methods: The Health Promoting Schools (HPS) framework was adopted to select key stakeholders from a convenience sample of five school communities. Students, teaching staff and parents participated in semi‐structured focus group and individual interviews. A thematic analysis was used to extract key themes from the data. Results: Although these school communities were aware of sun protection practices and the risks associated with sun exposure, their understandings of the SunSmart Program were limited. Sun protection policy implementation was inconsistent and students were unlikely to engage in sun protection practices beyond the school setting. Conclusion and implications: School communities require additional support and engagement to holistically enforce the principles of the SunSmart Program. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T07:31:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6c0264c25da844b7a4fc0d4250c0768a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1326-0200 1753-6405 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T07:31:14Z |
| publishDate | 2017-10-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-6c0264c25da844b7a4fc0d4250c0768a2023-09-02T21:45:53ZengElsevierAustralian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health1326-02001753-64052017-10-0141548348910.1111/1753-6405.12677Australian primary school communities' understandings of SunSmart: a qualitative studyMatthew Winslade0Bradley Wright1Dean Dudley2Wayne Cotton3Alexandra Brown4Faculty of Education Charles Sturt University New South WalesFaculty of Education Charles Sturt University New South WalesSchool of Education Macquarie University New South WalesFaculty of Education and Social Work University of Sydney New South WalesCancer Council NSW New South WalesAbstract Objectives: Skin cancer represents a major health issue for Australia. Childhood sun exposure is an important risk factor and evidence suggests the use of sun protection measures by Australian school children could be improved. This study examines how the SunSmart Program, a school‐based skin cancer prevention resource, can be supported to further increase sun protection behaviours to assist in lowering skin cancer incidence. Methods: The Health Promoting Schools (HPS) framework was adopted to select key stakeholders from a convenience sample of five school communities. Students, teaching staff and parents participated in semi‐structured focus group and individual interviews. A thematic analysis was used to extract key themes from the data. Results: Although these school communities were aware of sun protection practices and the risks associated with sun exposure, their understandings of the SunSmart Program were limited. Sun protection policy implementation was inconsistent and students were unlikely to engage in sun protection practices beyond the school setting. Conclusion and implications: School communities require additional support and engagement to holistically enforce the principles of the SunSmart Program.https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12677SunSmartHealth Promoting Schoolprimary schoolskin cancer |
| spellingShingle | Matthew Winslade Bradley Wright Dean Dudley Wayne Cotton Alexandra Brown Australian primary school communities' understandings of SunSmart: a qualitative study Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health SunSmart Health Promoting School primary school skin cancer |
| title | Australian primary school communities' understandings of SunSmart: a qualitative study |
| title_full | Australian primary school communities' understandings of SunSmart: a qualitative study |
| title_fullStr | Australian primary school communities' understandings of SunSmart: a qualitative study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Australian primary school communities' understandings of SunSmart: a qualitative study |
| title_short | Australian primary school communities' understandings of SunSmart: a qualitative study |
| title_sort | australian primary school communities understandings of sunsmart a qualitative study |
| topic | SunSmart Health Promoting School primary school skin cancer |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12677 |
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