Abstract
Objectives
Increases in socially desirable responses in self-reports might occur in the context of ongoing public education. We examine concordance of trends in two long-term studies monitoring population impact for SunSmart.
Methods
One study employed telephone interviews of Melbourne residents; the other entailed observations at public recreation venues across Melbourne. The studies assessed people’s sun protection on identical weekend dates (Nw = 33 dates). Data from five summers between 1992 and 2001 (n ~ 23,000 individuals) were analysed. A body cover index score was calculated for participants on each date. Outcomes were aggregated separately for Saturdays and Sundays by date and year. Regression analyses tested whether these trends differed by survey method.
Results
The pattern of change in body cover over time was similar for both surveys. Self-reported body cover was consistently higher than observed body cover, suggesting that social desirability bias may be present. Regression analyses showed no divergence between self-reported and observed trends in mean body cover, suggesting no evidence of significant increased social desirability bias in self-reporting over time.
Conclusion
Findings suggest that self-report offers a valid means of assessing change in a population’s sun protection compliance over time, at least when self-reports are precisely focussed for time and activity context.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Andersen PA et al (2010) Environmental cues to UV radiation and personal sun protection in outdoor winter recreation. Arch Dermatol 146(11):1241–1247. doi:10.1001/archdermatol.2010.327
Anti-Cancer Council of Victoria (1981) Annual Report 1981. Melbourne
Anti-Cancer Council of Victoria (1994) SunSmart Evaluation Studies No. 3: The Anti-Cancer Council’s Skin Cancer Control Program 1990/91, 1991/92, 1992/93 and related research and evaluation. Anti-Cancer Council of Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Anti-Cancer Council of Victoria (1999) SunSmart Evaluation Studies No. 6: The Anti-Cancer Council of Victoria’s skin cancer control program 1996/97 and 1997/98 and related research and evaluation. Anti-Cancer Council of Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria
Creech LL, Mayer JA (1997) Ultraviolet radiation exposure in children: a review of measurement strategies. Ann Behav Med 19(4):399–407
Dennis LK, Vanbeek MJ, Beane Freeman LE, Smith BJ, Dawson DV, Coughlin JA (2008) Sunburns and risk of cutaneous melanoma: does age matter? A comprehensive meta-analysis. Ann Epidemiol 18(8):614–627. doi:10.1016/j.annepidem.2008.04.006
Dixon H, Dobbinson S, Wakefield M, Jamsen K, McLeod K (2007) Portrayal of tanning, clothing fashion and shade use in Australian women’s magazines, 1987–2005. Health Educ Res 23(5):791–802. doi:10.1093/her/cym057
Dixon HG, Lagerlund M, Spittal MJ, Hill DJ, Dobbinson SJ, Wakefield MA (2008) Use of sun-protective clothing at outdoor leisure settings from 1992 to 2002: serial cross-sectional observation survey. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 17(2):428–434. doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-07-0369
Dobbinson S, Hill DJ (2004) Patterns and causes of sun exposing and sun protecting behavior. In: Hill D, Elwood JM, English DR (eds) Prevention of Skin Cancer. Kluwer Academic Publishers, The Netherlands, pp 211–240
Dobbinson S, Knight K (2001) Protecting workers from ultraviolet radiation in sunlight. J Occup Health Saf 17(6):587–589
Dobbinson S, Inglis G, Hilditch A (2004) SunSmart policies and practices in Victorian local Government: 2001 SunSmart Evaluation Studies No. 7. The Cancer Council Victoria, Melbourne
Dobbinson S, Arbuckle J, Hoey L (2005) The sun protection environment in Victorian primary schools: Evaluating the National SunSmart Schools Program 1998 and 2001. Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer. The Cancer Council Victoria, Melbourne
Dobbinson S, Jamsen K, Francis K, Dunlop S, Wakefield M (2007) 2006–07 National Sun Protection Survey: Report 1. Skin cancer prevention knowledge, attitudes and beliefs among Australians in summer 2006–07 and comparison with 2003–04 in the context of the first national mass media campaign. Unpublished final report prepared for The Cancer Council Australia and Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. The Cancer Council Victoria, Melbourne
Dobbinson S et al (2008a) Prevalence and determinants of Australian adolescents’ and adults’ weekend sun protection and sunburn, summer 2003–2004. J Am Acad Dermatol 59(4):602–614. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2008.06.011
Dobbinson SJ et al (2008b) Week end sun protection and sunburn in Australia: trends (1987–2002) and association with SunSmart television advertising. Am J Prev Med 34(2):94–101. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2007.09.024
Dobbinson SJ et al (2009) Adolescents’ use of purpose built shade in secondary schools: cluster randomised controlled trial. BMJ 338:b95. doi:10.1136/bmj.b95
Glanz K, Mayer JA (2005) Reducing ultraviolet radiation exposure to prevent skin cancer methodology and measurement. Am J Prev Med 29(2):131–142
Glanz K, Saraiya M (2005) Using evidence-based community and behaviorial interventions to prevent skin cancer: opportunities and challenges for public health practice. Prev Chronic Dis 2(2):A03
Glanz K, McCarty F, Nehl EJ, O’Riordan DL, Gies P, Bundy L, Locke AE, Hall DM (2009) Validity of self-reported sunscreen use by parents, children, and lifeguards. Am J Prev Med 36:63–69
Glanz K et al (2010) Validity of self-reported solar UVR exposure compared with objectively measured UVR exposure. Cancer Epidemiol Biomark Prev 19(12):3005–3012. doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-10-0709
Hill D, White V, Marks R, Theobald T, Borland R, Roy CR (1992) Melanoma prevention: behavioral and nonbehavioral factors in sunburn among an Australian urban population. Prev Med 21:654–669. doi:10.1016/0091-7435(92)90072-P
Hill D, White V, Marks R, Borland R (1993) Changes in sun-related attitudes and behaviours, and reduced sunburn prevalence in a population at high risk of melanoma. Eur J Cancer Prev 2:447–456
Hill DJ, Dobbinson SJ, Makin JK (2009) Interventions to lower ultraviolet radiation exposure: Education, legislation, and public policy 2009 Educational Book American Society of Clinical Oncology. Virginia, USA
Lagerlund M, Dixon H, Simpson J, Spittal M, Taylor H, Dobbinson S (2006) Observed use of sunglasses in public outdoor settings around Melbourne, Australia: 1993 to 2002. Prev Med 42(4):291–296. doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2006.01.003
Lower T, Girgis A, Sanson-Fisher R (1998) How valid is adolescents’ self-report as a way of assessing sun protection practices? Prev Med 27:385–390
Maddock JE, O’Riordan DL, Lunde KB, Steffen A (2007) Sun protection practices of beachgoers using a reliable observational measure. Ann Behav Med 34(1):100–103. doi:10.1080/08836610701495227
Milne E et al (1999) Direct measurement of sun protection in primary schools. Prev Med 29(1):45–52. doi:10.1006/pmed.1999.0501
O’Riordan DL, Lunde KB, Steffen AD, Maddock JE (2006) Validity of beachgoers’ self-report of their sun habits. Arch Dermatol 142(10):1304–1311. doi:10.1001/archderm.142.10.1304
O’Riordan DL, Glanz K, Gies P, Elliott T (2008) A pilot study of the validity of self-reported ultraviolet radiation exposure and sun protection practices among lifeguards, parents and children. Photochem Photobiol 84(3):774–778. doi:10.1111/j.1751-1097.2007.00262.x
O’Riordan DL et al (2009) Validity of covering-up sun-protection habits: association of observations and self-report. J Am Acad Dermatol 60(5):739–744. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2008.12.015
Scully M, Wakefield M, Dixon H (2008) Trends in news coverage about skin cancer prevention, 1993–2006: increasingly mixed messages for the public. Aust N Z J Public Health 32(5):461–466. doi:10.1111/j.1753-6405.2008.00280.x
Shoveller JA, Lovato CY (2001) Measuring self-reported sunburn: challenges and recommendations. Chronic Dis Can 22(3/4):75–87
Situm M, Buljan M, Bulat V, Lugovic Mihic L, Bolanca Z, Simic D (2008) The role of UV radiation in the development of basal cell carcinoma. Coll Antropol 32(Suppl 2):167–170
Stanton WR, Saleheen HN, O’Riordan D, Roy CR (2003) Environmental conditions and variation in levels of sun exposure among children in child care. Int J Behav Med 10(4):285–298
Staples M, Elwood M, Burton R, Williams J, Marks R, Giles G (2006) Non-melanoma skin cancer in Australia: the 2002 national survey and trends since 1985. Med J Aust 184(1):6–10
Thursfield V, Giles G (2007) Skin Cancer Canstat. The Cancer Council Victoria, Australia
Yaroch AL, Reynolds KD, Buller DB, Maloy JA, Geno CR (2006) Validity of a sun safety diary using UV monitors in middle school children. Health Educ Behav 33(3):340–351. doi:10.1177/1090198105285329
Zambon F, Fedeli U, Marchesan M, Schievano E, Ferro A, Spolaore P (2008) Seat belt use among rear passengers: validity of self-reported versus observational measures. BMC Public Health 8:233. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-8-233
Acknowledgments
We thank the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation and Cancer Council Victoria for funding support, the Bureau of Meteorology for provision of records of weather conditions, the many research assistants and data managers who contributed to the data collection, Professor Mohammad Siahpush for advice on the statistical analyses.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Dobbinson, S.J., Jamsen, K., Dixon, H.G. et al. Assessing population-wide behaviour change: concordance of 10-year trends in self-reported and observed sun protection. Int J Public Health 59, 157–166 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-013-0454-5
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-013-0454-5