PhD researcher Katja Saris found that
many workers didn't protect themselves
against skin cancer, even though most
knew someone who had it.
Image: QUT

British-born outdoor workers in Australia estimate they have a much lower risk of acquiring skin cancer than do their Australian-born counterparts.

PhD student Katja Saris from Queensland University of Technology's AusSun Research Laboratory is researching sun protection used by outdoor workers in Queensland with the aim of devising strategies to increase their sun protection behaviour and ultimately, the sun protection behaviour of the general population.

"Outdoor workers are recognised as having a high risk for skin cancer," Ms Saris said.

"In my research, I found that outdoor workers from the UK working in Queensland estimated their risk level for skin cancers at 30 per cent, whereas Australian-born workers estimated it at 50 per cent.

"This is concerning because the level of self-assessed risk a person has affects their use of sun protection and many workplaces do not have adequate sun safe policies for their workers."

Ms Saris is studying the effect of an education program to improve the skin cancer protection practices of outdoor workers in South East Queensland.

"Everybody has heard about skin cancer and knows someone who has had it, but still many people don't protect themselves even when they are outside most of the time," she said.

"It is hoped that this research will stimulate an increase in sun protection practices."

Ms Saris said her study would monitor work- and non-related sun exposure.

"Some workplaces enforce the wearing of sun protection so it will be interesting to find out if people carry these sun protection practices into the weekends and how they protect themselves when outside on days off."

The AusSun Research Laboratory director and supervisor of Ms Saris' research, Professor Michael Kimlin, said governments and industry should look to this work to help improve sun protection in the outdoor workforce.

"Sun protection is a simple yet effective way to reduce the risk of skin cancer, particularly for this high-risk group," Professor Kimlin said.