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Cancer Society News
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Welcome to the Cancer Society Otago Southland Division website
The Cancer Society of New Zealand is the leading organisation dedicated to reducing the incidence of cancer and ensuring the best cancer care for everyone in New Zealand. We are committed to providing leadership in cancer control, working with communities, and providing core services in health promotion, support, information and research. Please take a moment to look around our website. You can also contact our 0800 CANCER Helpline for information about Cancer, or find out more about our Support Services. |
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Last Modified: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 11:00 a.m.
For further information, click here ...
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| Maximising outdoor workers’ sun safety |
Maximising outdoor workers’ sun safety requires a workplace-level approach rather
than individual-based one, according to University of Otago researchers.
A pilot study has found that outdoor workers who perceive that their workplaces
support healthy behaviours are more likely to protect themselves from excessive sun
exposure. Study co-author Dr Tony Reeder, Director of the Cancer Society Social &
Behavioural Research Unit at the University, says the findings indicate that focusing
on workplace policies and practices, rather than on individual responsibility alone,
will yield the greatest benefits for skin cancer prevention.
The study, just published in the Health Promotion Journal of Australia, is first in
New Zealand to look at both individual and workplace factors involved in sun
protection among outdoor workers.
Seventy-four horticultural, roading and building workers employed at 14 Central
Otago workplaces were surveyed during the 2007 summer by postgraduate student
Vanessa Hammond.
“Overall, we found outdoor workers’ perceptions of their workplace’s support for sun
protection and other health-related behaviours strongly influenced their personal
protective behaviour,” says Dr Reeder.
Greater attention needs to be paid to ensuring that existing guidelines are translated
into industry and workplace policies and practices, he says.
“To foster a supportive safety climate, skin cancer control programmes should also be
developed alongside other workplace health and safety interventions.”
For example, occupational health nurses could provide direct workplace training that
included skin checks for workers.
“Focusing on the damage that sun exposure causes to the skin and the eyes might help
increase outdoor workers’ understanding of their personal risk.”
Ms Hammond says that it is important that employers provide sun protective gear
such as appropriate clothing, hats and sunscreen.
“Supervisors and forepersons also need to promote and support their use and set an
example by their own practices.”
Future studies should investigate the barriers to employers taking greater
responsibility for promoting the sun safety of their employees, she says.
For more information, please contact:
Dr. Tony Reeder, Director
Cancer Society Social & Behavioural Research Unit
Department of Preventive and Social Medicine
Dunedin School of Medicine
Tel 03 479 7257
Email tony.reeder@otago.ac.nz
For comment, contact:
Dr. Judith Galtry
Cancer Society of New Zealand, Skin Cancer Control Advisor
Tel 04 9058 037
Mob 0274 583 484
Email jag@cancer.org.nz |
Published: Wed, 24 Sep 2008 12:00 a.m.
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