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Could you be better at following sun safety advice?

30th June - 07th July 2023

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17286

Total votes

8639

5-11 votes

8647

11-16+ votes

Summer. Crystal clear waters, sandy beaches, sun beaming down.

Ok maybe not in the UK, but as the months roll on towards the summer, UltraViolet light from the sun increases. It brings with it the shooting up of plants and the production of fruits and vegetables. But for humans, particularly young ones there is a serious risk. That of skin damage.

The problem is significant, with over 210,000 non-melanoma skin cancers being diagnosed every year which are predicted to rise to over 400,000 per year by 2025.

This damage can be managed. There are ways to reduce the nearly 9 and 10 melanomas that could be prevented by adequate sun protection. Education has a key part to ensure young people know how to protect themselves against this danger.

For this VoteTopic, voters considered the facts and myths surrounding sun safety, and reflected on what they have been doing to keep themselves healthy during the warmer weather. They also had an opportunity to consider the external influences that affect their decisions on sun protection.

child

5-11 voter

"I think we should be better at following sun safety rules as the temperatures in the UK are increasing so we need to be extra careful when going outside in the sun."

teenager

11-16 voter

“Sun cream should be free (it's very expensive) should be more done to promote wearing sun cream.”

young adult

16+ voter

"There should be more education on different factors of sun cream and there should be ways to help those who do not want to wear it, for example, having SPF in false tan or having SPF in daily moisturisers that are not too expensive, as currently there are a lot of brands that add SPF but charge a lot for it.”

62% of those aged between 11 & 16 voted 'Yes' to the question, "Could you be better at following sun safety advice?"

  • 16+ & College students were asked the same question this week, with 60% voting 'Yes'.
  • Some voters argued that there is a different perception of sun in the UK compared to abroad. They said that lots of people are careful in the sun on holiday but take less precautions at home.
73% of those aged between 7 & 11 voted 'Yes' to the question, "Could we be better at following sun safety advice?"

  • Primary pupils were asked a similar question, however the emphasis was on collective and not personal actions.
  • 73% believe that more could be done.
64% of those aged between 5 & 7 said 'Yes' to the question, "Are we safe in the sun?"

  • Our youngest Primary pupils, aged between 5 & 7 were asked, "Are we safe in the sun?" 64% voted 'Yes'.
  • Some pupils said it can be difficult to remember to reapply sun cream but the adults in their lives help to remind them.
Many argued that sun cream needs to be affordable and greater efforts should be made to raise awareness about the dangers of sun exposure.

  • In the comments, voters emphasised the importance of protecting themselves in the sun, with many commenting that warmer temperatures in recent years have made it even more important.
sun safety banner

Feedback from our Impact Partners

We had a great response to the vote this week. Thank you to our Impact Partners who responded to what the children said!

Christina Driver, Project Manager at Skcin, the the Karen Clifford Melanoma and Skin Cancer Charity who aim to raise awareness of skin cancer through education, promoting prevention and early detection.

See previous week's results