Parents anything but sun smart
The sun-smart message isn’t fully getting through to parents with over half (51%) admitting their children have been sunburnt, according to a survey by Southern Cross.
The survey into the living habits of Kiwis, conducted by TNS, has revealed the most common places for kids to get sunburnt is the beach or park (55%), school (23%) and home (23%).
Southern Cross Health Society CEO Peter Tynan says this is a worry as New Zealand is home to some of the world’s highest levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation and has an already high rate of skin cancer.
In 2014 Southern Cross funded 49,232 skin procedures at a cost of over $41 million.
“The Skin Cancer foundation say one blistering sunburn in childhood or adolescence more than doubles a person's chances of developing melanoma, so it pays to be extra careful, especially when dealing with young skin.”
The survey also showed that:
- 58% of Kiwis get sunburnt each year – rising to 72% for those under age 40
- 38% of those under age 30 sunbathe on holiday
- 22% of males don’t use sunscreen at all.
“We know it only takes a few minutes in the sun to get burnt – yet only 26% of people said they use sunscreen at least once a day.
“This could be due to myths about sunscreen causing cancer instead of preventing it, or simply because people are covering up more, or trying to keep out of the sun.”
The survey was conducted on behalf of Southern Cross who is looking into the living habits of Kiwis as part of its sponsorship of the new TVNZ show Kiwi Living.
“We want to get Kiwis motivated and making small changes that pay long term dividends with their health and wellbeing,” says Tynan.
ENDS
Note: The survey into New Zealanders’ Approach to Kiwi Living was conducted by TNS. The survey of 1650 New Zealanders aged over 18 was carried out in June 2015.
Below are results of the survey broken into age-groups and regions.
|
|
Total |
Male |
Female |
Under 40 |
40 and over |
Under 30 |
30 to 39 |
40 to 49 |
Over 50 |
|
During the sunny months, if you are going to be outside, how often do you apply sunblock? |
|||||||||
|
More than once a day |
8% |
5% |
11% |
10% |
7% |
12% |
6% |
10% |
5% |
|
Every day |
18% |
13% |
23% |
20% |
17% |
18% |
24% |
17% |
16% |
|
Only on the weekends |
3% |
5% |
2% |
3% |
3% |
3% |
4% |
4% |
2% |
|
Only when in the sun for long periods |
43% |
43% |
44% |
48% |
40% |
48% |
48% |
40% |
40% |
|
Less often |
11% |
12% |
11% |
8% |
14% |
7% |
10% |
13% |
14% |
|
Never |
16% |
22% |
10% |
10% |
20% |
12% |
8% |
15% |
22% |
|
Total |
1619 |
804 |
815 |
543 |
1076 |
282 |
261 |
300 |
776 |
|
During the sunny months, if your kids are going to be outside, how often do you apply sunblock on them? |
|||||||||
|
More than once a day |
29% |
26% |
31% |
30% |
27% |
35% |
27% |
28% |
25% |
|
Every day |
34% |
36% |
33% |
37% |
31% |
43% |
34% |
31% |
31% |
|
Only on the weekends |
4% |
4% |
3% |
3% |
4% |
0% |
5% |
6% |
0% |
|
Only when the kids are going to be in the sun for prolonged periods |
28% |
30% |
25% |
21% |
34% |
11% |
27% |
33% |
36% |
|
Less often |
3% |
1% |
4% |
3% |
2% |
1% |
4% |
1% |
4% |
|
Never |
3% |
3% |
3% |
5% |
1% |
10% |
2% |
0% |
5% |
|
Total |
360 |
185 |
175 |
157 |
203 |
35 |
122 |
142 |
61 |
|
How many times a year would you typically get sunburnt? |
|||||||||
|
Mean |
1.3 |
1.4 |
1.1 |
1.7 |
.9 |
1.9 |
1.4 |
1.3 |
.8 |
|
Get sunburnt at least once a year |
58% |
58% |
59% |
72% |
48% |
75% |
68% |
66% |
41% |
|
Don't get sunburnt in a typical year |
42% |
42% |
41% |
28% |
52% |
25% |
32% |
34% |
59% |
|
Total |
1283 |
607 |
676 |
426 |
857 |
219 |
207 |
232 |
625 |
|
How often do you sunbathe when on holiday? |
|||||||||
|
Every day |
26% |
20% |
31% |
21% |
33% |
18% |
30% |
34% |
33% |
|
Every second day |
12% |
15% |
9% |
10% |
14% |
12% |
6% |
20% |
11% |
|
A couple of times a week |
41% |
41% |
40% |
40% |
42% |
42% |
34% |
33% |
45% |
|
Once a week |
14% |
17% |
11% |
19% |
6% |
18% |
20% |
10% |
4% |
|
Less often |
9% |
8% |
9% |
11% |
5% |
11% |
11% |
2% |
6% |
|
Total |
337 |
157 |
180 |
172 |
165 |
112 |
60 |
46 |
119 |
|
Which of the following statements best applies to you? |
|||||||||
|
I have never used a sunbed |
78% |
80% |
75% |
77% |
78% |
83% |
67% |
73% |
81% |
|
I have used a sunbed in the past, but wouldn't again |
13% |
8% |
18% |
9% |
16% |
5% |
16% |
16% |
16% |
|
I use sunbeds regularly |
1% |
1% |
1% |
1% |
0% |
1% |
1% |
0% |
0% |
|
Rather not say |
4% |
6% |
3% |
6% |
3% |
6% |
8% |
7% |
1% |
|
Total |
1650 |
825 |
825 |
563 |
1087 |
292 |
271 |
307 |
780 |
|
Has your child or children ever been sunburnt? |
|||||||||
|
Yes |
51% |
47% |
55% |
32% |
69% |
29% |
34% |
66% |
75% |
|
No |
49% |
53% |
45% |
68% |
31% |
71% |
66% |
34% |
25% |
|
Total |
359 |
184 |
175 |
155 |
204 |
35 |
120 |
142 |
62 |
|
Where were they when they got sunburnt? |
|||||||||
|
At preschool |
3% |
7% |
0% |
11% |
0% |
17% |
7% |
0% |
0% |
|
At school |
23% |
18% |
27% |
21% |
24% |
19% |
22% |
22% |
29% |
|
Playing sports |
15% |
13% |
17% |
9% |
18% |
0% |
14% |
23% |
7% |
|
At the beach or park |
55% |
48% |
61% |
45% |
59% |
31% |
53% |
56% |
67% |
|
At home |
23% |
16% |
29% |
33% |
19% |
31% |
34% |
25% |
4% |
|
At someone else's home |
21% |
15% |
25% |
24% |
19% |
33% |
19% |
19% |
21% |
|
Somewhere else (please specify) |
8% |
12% |
4% |
10% |
7% |
15% |
8% |
8% |
5% |
|
Rather not say |
1% |
0% |
2% |
0% |
2% |
0% |
0% |
2% |
0% |
|
Total |
179 |
85 |
94 |
44 |
135 |
7 |
37 |
88 |
47 |
|
|
Total |
Auckland |
Wellington |
Chch |
Hamilton |
Tauranga |
Dunedin |
Rest of NZ |
|
During the sunny months, if you are going to be outside, how often do you apply sunblock? |
||||||||
|
More than once a day |
8% |
6% |
9% |
7% |
11% |
8% |
5% |
10% |
|
Every day |
18% |
23% |
21% |
18% |
9% |
15% |
16% |
14% |
|
Only on the weekends |
3% |
4% |
3% |
3% |
5% |
2% |
1% |
3% |
|
Only when in the sun for long periods |
43% |
45% |
47% |
49% |
40% |
43% |
39% |
40% |
|
Less often |
11% |
9% |
7% |
9% |
13% |
13% |
12% |
15% |
|
Never |
16% |
14% |
12% |
14% |
22% |
20% |
26% |
18% |
|
Total |
1619 |
295 |
299 |
295 |
144 |
149 |
147 |
290 |
|
During the sunny months, if your kids are going to be outside, how often do you apply sunblock on them? |
||||||||
|
More than once a day |
29% |
24% |
30% |
38% |
33% |
49% |
38% |
27% |
|
Every day |
34% |
35% |
36% |
23% |
35% |
29% |
23% |
37% |
|
Only on the weekends |
4% |
6% |
3% |
6% |
3% |
0% |
3% |
2% |
|
Only when the kids are going to be in the sun for prolonged periods |
28% |
29% |
27% |
25% |
24% |
16% |
36% |
28% |
|
Less often |
3% |
2% |
2% |
5% |
3% |
5% |
0% |
3% |
|
Never |
3% |
4% |
3% |
4% |
2% |
0% |
0% |
4% |
|
Total |
360 |
62 |
65 |
62 |
34 |
42 |
35 |
60 |
|
How many times a year would you typically get sunburnt? |
||||||||
|
Mean |
1.3 |
1.3 |
1.5 |
1.0 |
1.1 |
1.0 |
1.0 |
1.3 |
|
Get sunburnt at least once a year |
58% |
60% |
62% |
54% |
51% |
55% |
57% |
57% |
|
Don't get sunburnt in a typical year |
42% |
40% |
38% |
46% |
49% |
45% |
43% |
43% |
|
Total |
1283 |
216 |
247 |
242 |
116 |
113 |
123 |
226 |
|
How often do you sunbathe when on holiday? |
||||||||
|
Every day |
26% |
34% |
20% |
21% |
7% |
35% |
31% |
17% |
|
Every second day |
12% |
12% |
10% |
14% |
10% |
25% |
16% |
9% |
|
A couple of times a week |
41% |
30% |
39% |
46% |
53% |
21% |
40% |
57% |
|
Once a week |
14% |
18% |
16% |
6% |
24% |
0% |
0% |
10% |
|
Less often |
9% |
6% |
14% |
13% |
7% |
19% |
13% |
8% |
|
Total |
337 |
83 |
69 |
64 |
25 |
24 |
27 |
45 |
|
Which of the following statements best applies to you? |
||||||||
|
I have never used a sunbed |
78% |
71% |
77% |
81% |
81% |
77% |
85% |
82% |
|
I have used a sunbed in the past, but wouldn't again |
13% |
17% |
16% |
13% |
9% |
16% |
11% |
9% |
|
I use sunbeds regularly |
1% |
1% |
1% |
1% |
1% |
0% |
1% |
0% |
|
Rather not say |
4% |
5% |
1% |
1% |
6% |
4% |
1% |
6% |
|
Total |
1650 |
300 |
301 |
300 |
150 |
150 |
149 |
300 |
|
Has your child or children ever been sunburnt? |
||||||||
|
Yes |
51% |
53% |
38% |
43% |
39% |
62% |
41% |
55% |
|
No |
49% |
47% |
62% |
57% |
61% |
38% |
59% |
45% |
|
Total |
359 |
62 |
64 |
64 |
34 |
42 |
35 |
58 |
|
Where were they when they got sunburnt? |
||||||||
|
At preschool |
3% |
3% |
0% |
4% |
0% |
4% |
0% |
5% |
|
At school |
23% |
27% |
13% |
21% |
37% |
29% |
31% |
20% |
|
Playing sports |
15% |
12% |
4% |
14% |
7% |
23% |
11% |
20% |
|
At the beach or park |
55% |
48% |
73% |
35% |
48% |
70% |
76% |
59% |
|
At home |
23% |
28% |
12% |
13% |
7% |
8% |
16% |
27% |
|
At someone else's home |
21% |
24% |
8% |
10% |
15% |
7% |
18% |
25% |
|
Somewhere else (please specify) |
8% |
13% |
8% |
13% |
15% |
8% |
0% |
3% |
|
Rather not say |
1% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
3% |
|
Total |
179 |
33 |
26 |
29 |
14 |
27 |
16 |
34 |
