Summer is in full swing, and for many of us, months
of bright and sunny weather lie ahead. But before you
pack the car and head to the beach, are you making sure
you're protecting yourself from sun damage? If you find
yourself forgetting the sunscreen or the hat a little
too often, a new study from Australia may have a solution
for you-- and that solution takes the form of texting.
Sun protection is of huge importance. We're hardly
used to looking at a sunburn as a huge deal, but even
one severe sunburn in one's childhood, or only five
sunburns throughout one's life, can double one's risk
of skin cancer, specifically melanoma. For our health
and safety, it is critical to practice good sun protection
habits.
The study, funded by Cancer Australia and conducted
by the Queensland Unitersity of Technology; the University
of Queensland; and Cancer Council Queensland, was published
in early 2015 in the journal Preventative Medicine.
Its intent was to discover the impact of a text messaging
program about sun safety on the preventative behaviors
of participants aged 18 to 42.
Participants were subscribed to a series of text messages
for the duration of one year. The texts encouraged diligent
sun protection habits, such as the use of sunscreen
and avoiding full sun exposure during peak hours. They
also asked if participants were checking, or having
someone other than a doctor check, their skin for early
signs of cancer. The texts were sent weekly for 12 weeks,
after which they declined in frequency to once a month
for the remaining nine months of the study. At the end
of the year-long study, each participant engaged in
an in-depth phone interview regarding the study.
The implications of this study are big. Australia has
the highest rate of skin cancer, making the search for
more effective ways to encourage good sun protection
habits hugely important for the nation. Additionally,
the highest incidence of melanoma occurs in the 15-44
age group, which coincides closely with the age group
that most avidly sends and receives text messages. Texting
is therefore already poised to best reach the demographic
that most needs to be reached when it comes to sun safety.
With big implications come big results, and this study
does not disappoint. A significant increase was observed
in self-examination of at least some part of the skin,
which was practiced by 37 percent of the participants
at the beginning of the study and a majority of 63 percent
at its conclusion. While there is work to do, this study
presents a promising leap in sun safety as well as another
notable innovation at the intersection of texting and
medicine. It is clear that SMS is a powerful resource
to be tapped in the effort to expand good sun safety
practices.
About the Author -
Sharon Housley is the VP of Marketing for NotePage,
Inc. a software company for communication software solutions.
http://www.notepage.net
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