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Despite the success of sun-safe policies amongst primary school children, there are no such policies for sun safety in secondary schools in New South Wales.
Australia has one of the highest incidence rates of skin cancer globally, with half the population at some point in their life being diagnosed with a form of skin cancer. It is widely accepted that sun exposure is inextricably linked to an increased risk of skin cancer. Childhood is a particularly vulnerable time, with research demonstrating that a large proportion of total lifetime sun exposure occurs before the age of 18. Protecting our children from excess ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is therefore not just a good idea but a public health priority.
The good news is that a significant proportion of skin cancer is preventable, with 95% of melanomas diagnosed in Australia being linked to exposure to UV light. The bad news is that Australian schools have not adopted a clear, unified mandate to protect children from UV exposure.
Australia, overall, has been incredibly successful in implementing sun-safe public health campaigns. Years of targeted, consistent public health messages have enabled Australians to develop a strong understanding of the risks associated with sun exposure. The targeted SunSmart® campaign is one example that has driven significant and sustained behaviour change over the past three decades. This is particularly justified as the UV index peaks during school hours. Primary schools, through years of targeted SunSmart campaigns, enforce sun-safe practices with ‘no hat, no play’ and ‘Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek and Slide’ as a memorable mantra.
Secondary school students left vulnerable
Despite the success of sun-safe culture amongst primary school children attributed to mandated policies, there are no such policies for sun safety in secondary schools in New South Wales. Teenagers remain susceptible to sun damage, yet without rules in place, hats disappear, suncream use drops and carefree ‘sun seeking’ habits are allowed to take hold. If we are being serious about protecting our young people, the same rules adopted amongst primary schools should be mandated in secondary schools. As the age at which children leave primary school and enter secondary school is almost always the same, it follows that the sun safety rules and culture remain consistent.
Inconsistency across states
Across Australia, there is state-level variability in legislation for sun-safe practices in schools. Schools and workplaces are required to comply with the Health and Safety Act, which provides generalised protection from risks to health and safety arising in the workplace. As this legislation is not specific to schools and does not address sun safety, most states have implemented additional sun safe policies which are enforced by their respective Departments of Education. Queensland, for example, has a blanket approach requiring primary and secondary schools to have a written sun safety policy that is reviewed annually, an approach also adopted in Victoria and the Northern Territory. Other states, such as Western Australia and South Australia, have sun protection policies that stipulate sun-safe practices when the UV index is above 3.
New South Wales falling behind
In New South Wales, the Department of Education strongly encourages, but does not enforce, the implementation of a sun-safe policy in secondary schools. Becoming accredited as sun safe through the Cancer Council’s Sun Smart programme is recommended but not mandated, and the lack of enforcement of these policies at the individual school level results in inconsistent sun-safe rules and practices. Here lies the problem. Whilst the enforcement of policy may feel dogmatic, research demonstrates that it does lead to real-world change. When we consider this, the next step feels strikingly obvious. New South Wales is falling behind the rest of Australia, and without a mandated sun-safe policy in every school, achieving sun-safe behaviour in our children seems unattainable. Secondary school children are arguably a more vulnerable cohort, and thus we must make every effort to protect them. We need to ensure that every single school in New South Wales has a written enforced sun safety policy.
Research continues to elucidate a strong and undisputed association between childhood sun exposure and increased skin cancer risk. The argument in favour of mandating schools, particularly secondary schools, to enforce a sun safety policy is compelling.
Undertaking an audit of the current sun safety practices amongst secondary schools in New South Wales will identify gaps and determine how policy can be used to better protect them.
This is a matter of public health importance that cannot be resolved until every child, from kindergarten to graduation, is equally protected from the sun.
Dr Rebecca Saunderson is an Australian-trained dermatologist who provides dermatological care across the public (Prince of Wales Hospital) and private sectors (Drummoyne Dermatology) and undertakes research into skin conditions.
Dr Jessica Baird is a UK-trained doctor currently working at St Vincent’s Hospital, Darlinghurst. She has a strong interest in Dermatology and Public Health.
The statements or opinions expressed in this article reflect the views of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official policy of the AMA, the MJA or InSight+ unless so stated.
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