title: Assessment of attitudes towards sun-protective behaviour in Australians: A cross-sectional study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the knowledge, attitudes and behaviour towards sun protection measures in a sample of Australian adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multicentre, cross-sectional study was undertaken during 2014 using a population-based survey of 416 individuals over the age of 18. The knowledge, behaviour and attitudes towards sun protection measures in this group of adults were assessed. The impact of educational level and employment status on responses was also evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sunscreen is the most common sun-protective measure. Daily sunscreen use is below 20%. Forgetfulness was the largest barrier to sunscreen use. A total of 85% of respondents did not apply a sufficient amount of sunscreen. Only 32% of individuals reapplied sunscreen every 2 hours and 20% never reapplied it. In the preceding year, one or more sun burns were suffered by 46% of the participants in the survey. In all, 36% of individuals rarely or never check their sunscreens expiry date and less than 50% of individuals replaced their sunscreen each year. Furthermore, 65% were unaware that sunscreens stored above 25°C were less effective than when stored correctly as per manufactures labelling.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study highlights a number of significant deficiencies that future sun-protection programmes could target in order to improve the general public's knowledge and attitudes towards sun protection. There is also a need for this to be translated into the public's sun-protection behaviour.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Kieran B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Garbutcheon-Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Shreya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dixit
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Pam
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Saxon D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004356:Drug Storage; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055108:Sunbathing; D013471:Sunburn / Q000209:etiology; D013472:Sunlight / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013473:Sunscreening Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D013473:Sunscreening Agents
keywords: attitudes; behaviour; belief; sunscreen use