It is time to update sun safety campaigns to recognise population diversity: Findings from two citizens' juries in Australia

Judy Gregory; Rachel E Neale; Oliver Frank; Louisa G Gordon

doi:10.1002/hpja.786

It is time to update sun safety campaigns to recognise population diversity: Findings from two citizens' juries in Australia

Health Promot J Austr. 2023 Aug 7. doi: 10.1002/hpja.786. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Judy Gregory¹, Rachel E Neale^{1

2}, Oliver Frank^{3

4}, Louisa G Gordon^{1

5}

Affiliations

¹ School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Faculty of Medicine, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia.
² Cancer Aetiology & Prevention Group, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, Queensland, Australia.
³ Specialist General Practitioner, Oakden Medical Centre, Hillcrest, South Australia, Australia.
⁴ Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
⁵ Queensland University of Technology, School of Nursing and Cancer and Palliative Care Outcomes Centre, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

PMID: 37548101
DOI: 10.1002/hpja.786

Abstract

Issue addressed: While the links between sun exposure and skin cancer are well known, the benefits of sun exposure, particularly as a source of vitamin D, are less well known. This paper reports on a deliberative study exploring public perspectives about sun exposure harms and benefits.

Methods: Two citizens' juries were conducted in Brisbane and Adelaide to consider questions about sun exposure, vitamin D and health promotion. Members of the general population (jurors) listened to evidence from expert witnesses about the harms and benefits of sun exposure. Most witness sessions extended for 60 min, with 6 sessions over 2 days. At each citizens' jury, jurors were asked to listen to expert testimony, consider the evidence and make policy recommendations. The planning and design of the citizens' juries were informed by well-established citizens' jury methods.

Results: Jurors proposed that Australia needs improved public information about the harms and benefits of sun exposure. They argued for information that supports personal decision-making that accounts for differences in skin tone and geographical region. Jurors agreed that Australia needs an updated sun safety campaign that reflects new research and addresses diversity. A one-size-fits-all approach to sun protection may no longer be appropriate.

Conclusions: While a new campaign should address both harms and benefits, jurors felt the need for skin cancer prevention outweighs the desirability of generating vitamin D through sun exposure. More nuanced public health messages are needed, which balance the need for skin protection and vitamin D, and acknowledge the diversity of Australia's population. SO WHAT?: Previous research studies are typically siloed into the separate areas of vitamin D or skin cancer research. This study incorporated both topics and pooled the views of participants in two citizens' juries who agreed on the need for improved information about the harms and benefits of sun exposure to reflect a modern Australian population.

Keywords: citizens' jury; public engagement; public information campaign; skin cancer; sun protection; sun safety; vitamin D.

Grants and funding

5000211/Cancer Australia