The Development of a 'Sun Safe Code'

Abstract

The last 20 years have seen a dramatic rise in the number of cases of skin cancer in the UK, and it is now the second most common form of cancer in this country. Since 1993, the Health Education Authority (HEA) has run a media-led campaign aimed at educating the general public about the risks associated with exposure to the sun, and the steps they can take to reduce these risksÐ avoiding the midday sun, seeking shade, covering up and using a high factor sunscreen. The campaign recognises the importance of working with commercial partners, and the sunscreen industry represents one such opportunity. Research suggests that it is the sunscreen message that gains the most media coverage and is the one that people are most ready to take up. There is a danger, however, that this message reinforces the idea that it is possible to tan safely and encourages people to stay out longer in the sun. In order to encourage people to recognise that sunscreens per se do not make the sun safe, and to regard sunscreens as just one part of a broader strategy for keeping safe in the sun, the HEA has developed a `Sun Safe Code'. This code has been developed and pretested with members of the public, and in consultation with health professionals and sunscreen manufacturers. The final code has been made available to a wide range of health educators and commercial organisations, and can be used in a wide variety of situations, either on product or at point of sale. This paper describes the developmental process.