HELPING OUTDOOR WORKERS REDUCE SKIN CANCER RISK
Skin cancer is one of
the biggest fears for one in two outdoor workers and when the boss and staff
work together the sun safe message gets through, a QUT study has found.
The study, which
found more than 50 per cent of outdoor workers rated UV radiation exposure at
work as one of their biggest concerns, also identified how a workplace
intervention could improve workers' behaviours and attitudes towards sun
protection to reduce their risk of skin cancer.
QUT in collaboration
with Cancer Council Queensland and Curtin University worked with 14 Queensland
outdoor workplaces from farming, construction, public service and local
government industries to develop personalized sun protection action plans.
After adopting these
individualized plans, the number of workers who reported using sun protection
increased significantly.
Professor Michael
Kimlin and Associate Professor Monika Janda, from QUT's AusSun Research Lab,
led the intervention program and the results have been published in theJournal of Occupational and
Environmental Medicine titled
"Changes in Outdoor Workers' Sun-Related Attitudes, Beliefs and
Behaviours: A Pre-Post Workplace Intervention."
"The message is
simple, outdoor workers who see their workplace, supervisors and bosses
supporting sun protection measures will follow their lead," Professor
Janda said.
"Providing
better programs, which take into account the specific workplace tasks and
culture can make a difference."
QUT health promotion
specialist Dr Marguerite Sendall, who was involved at the grassroots level in
implementing the workplace interventions, said the study worked closely with
workplaces to develop and implement a tailored sun safety plan, encouraging sun
awareness and supporting sun protection practices at work.
"The program
was about working together in partnership with workplaces, taking into account
their individual circumstances and environment, and developing realistic and
sustainable strategies," Dr Sendall said.
"It was this
partnership and customized strategies that made this study a success and led to
significant improvements in the way workplaces and employees approached sun
safety."
Dr Sendall said
after the 12 months intervention, the results revealed when a workplace was sun
safe there was a significant improvement in the attitudes and behaviours of
outdoor workers when it came to sun protection.
"For example,
the proportion of workers who checked their skin for early signs of skin cancer
increased after the intervention program, with 80 per cent reporting they had
conducted a skin check in the previous 12 months," Dr Sendall said.
"Ten per cent
more workers also had their skin checked by a doctor.
"The study
found after the intervention, 20 per cent more workers said they usually or
always seek natural shade, 25 per cent more workers wore broad-brimmed hats, 19
per cent more wore long-sleeved collared shirts and 16 per cent wore long
trousers," she said.
Dr Sendall said
there was also a shift in outdoor worker attitudes.
"The proportion
of workers who agreed their workplace enforced sun protection and agreed their
supervisors protected themselves increased by 10 per cent to 76 per cent of all
workers," she said.
One of the
workplaces to take part in the study was Goondiwindi Regional Council and
workplace champion Andrew Singh said the tailored intervention had produced
tangible results.
"At our
council, after introducing the intervention, the road construction crew adopted
a number of sun safe initiatives," Mr Singh said.
"For example,
the council provided portable shade structures to be used during breaks,
vehicle windows were tinted and our staff swapped baseball-style caps for
broad-brimmed hats.
"Overall, what
we found was workers were keen to follow these sun safe measures as they saw
their initiatives were welcomed and keenly supported by the mayor, councillors
and management."
Dr Sendall said the
study highlighted the importance of a consistent sun safe workplace culture.
"Despite
ongoing public health campaigns, outdoor workers remain a difficult to reach
group but if we can take care in making the sun protection program really
relevant to their personal circumstances and work environment, the potential
health benefits are significant."
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