title: Occupational sun protection: workplace culture, equipment provision and outdoor workers' characteristics.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to describe outdoor workers' sun-protective practices, workplace sun-safety culture and sun-protective equipment provision; investigate the association of demographic, personal and occupational factors with sun-protective practices; and identify potential strategies for improving workers' sun protection.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study used a clustered survey design with randomly identified employers in nine occupations. Employees provided questionnaire measures of demographics, personal characteristics (skin type, skin cancer risk perceptions, tanning attitudes, sun-exposure knowledge), personal occupational sun protection practices (exposure reduction, use of sun-protective clothing, sunscreen and shade), workplace sun-protective equipment provision and perceived workplace sun-safety culture. Summative scores were calculated for attitudes, knowledge, workplace provision and culture. A multivariable model was built with worker and workplace variables as plausible predictors of personal sun protection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this study, 1,061 workers (69% participation) from 112 workplaces provided sufficient information for analysis. Sex, age, prioritized ethnicity, education and risk perception differed significantly between occupational groups (p<0.001), as did workers' sun-protective practices and workplace sun-protection equipment provision and supportive culture. After adjustment, each one-point increase in Workplace Sun-safety Culture 2013Score (range 12 points) was associated with a 0.16 higher Personal Sun-Protection Score (p<0.001), and each one-point increase in Workplace Provision Score (range 4 points) was associated with a 0.14 higher score (p<0.001). Sun Protection Score was significantly associated with skin response to sun exposure (p<0.001), female sex (p=0.021), tanning attitudes (p=0.022) and occupation (p=0.049), but not ethnicity, age education, knowledge or skin cancer risk perception.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Protective equipment provision and sun-protective workplace culture are promising components for the development of comprehensive programmes to improve outdoor workers' sun-protective practices.
authors: Cancer Society of New Zealand Social and Behavioral Research Unit, Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, New Zealand.
authors: Anthony I
authors: AI
authors: Reeder
authors: Andrew
authors: A
authors: Gray
authors: Judith P
authors: JP
authors: McCool
mesh_terms: D016000:Cluster Analysis; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009520:New Zealand; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000592:standards*; D015279:Organizational Culture; D011481:Protective Clothing / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013472:Sunlight / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013473:Sunscreening Agents / Q000592:standards* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D013473:Sunscreening Agents