Sun Protection Behaviours

To explore the use of sun protection behaviours and the experience of sunburn in a sample of parents and their children in many country. A UK research group collected the information from 887parents using postal questionnaires at the beginning of and during the summer in New Zealand. The result indicated that thirty per cent of the parents believed their child looked healthier with a suntan, and 40% intended to let their child get a suntan during the summer. Predictors of intention to tan included level of parental education, the child's age, the child's sensitivity to burning and experience of sunburn in the parent. At the end of the summer period, 29% of the children were reported as being sunburned. Predictors of sunburn in the child were the age of the child, experience of sunburn in the parent and use of sunscreen SPF 15+ by the parent. The conclusion of this study is that: despite intense media coverage of the dangers of overexposure to the sun, it is clear that a significant proportion of children are still getting sunburned.