Annotated Bibliography Essay

Annotated Bibliography

Garbutcheon-Singh, K. B., Dixit, S., Lee, A., Brown, P., & Smith, S. D. (2016). Assessment of attitudes towards sun-protective behaviour in Australians: a cross-sectional study. Australiasian Journal of Dermatology, 57(2), 102-107. doi:10.1111/ajd.12334

Understanding the factors which influence sun-protective behaviours is vital in developing interventions. A multicentre, cross-sectional survey assessing the knowledge, behaviour and attitudes towards sun-protection measures, as well as educational level and employment status, was administered to 416 participants. Sunscreen effectiveness was found to decrease due to a lack of knowledge and improper use. Education level was found to be positively correlated with knowledge of SPF labelling and negatively correlated to a history of sun cancer. This study identified areas of deficiency which may direct future sun-protection campaigns.

Convenience sampling limited the external validity of the study, as does the exclusion of non-English speaking participants. The study helped me to consider how current sun-smart campaigns may be improved.
Hutchinson, A.D., Prichard, I., Ettridge, K., & Wilson, C. (2015). Skin tone dissatisfaction, sun exposure, and sun protection in Australian adolescents. International Journal of Behavioural Medicine, 22(4), 435-442. doi:10.1007/s12529-014-9441-3
Sun-exposure behaviours may be a result of underlying motivations which override the motivations for sun-protective behaviours.

In which case, it is vital to identify such motivations as part of intervention strategies aimed at increasing the practice of sun-protective behaviours. The researchers administered a questionnaire about sun-exposure and sun-protective behaviours, as well as skin-tone dissatisfaction to 2,875 secondary school students. Skin tone dissatisfaction was found to be associated with decreased sun-protective behaviours and increased sun-exposure behaviours. The level of skin tone dissatisfaction was significantly higher in females. Interventions addressing the appearance concerns of adolescents may be effective in increasing the adherence to sun-protective behaviours. One limitation of this study is the use of self-reporting, which is susceptible to response bias. This study helped me to understand the complex issues influencing attitudes and behaviour in relation to sun-protective behaviours, as well as the influence of sun-exposure

motivations.
Pettigrew, S., Jongenelis, M., Strickland, M., Minto, C., Slevin, T., Jalleh, G., & Lin, C. (2016). Predictors of sun protection behaviours and sunburn among Australian adolescents. BMC Public Health, 16(1), 1-8. doi: 10.1186/s12889-016-3197-4
While sunscreen is the most used form of sun-protection, other sun-protection measures are important in reducing the risk of skin cancer. This study aims to identify the demographic and attitudinal characteristics of adolescents practicing sun-protective behaviours. Cross-sectional telephone surveys were administered to 4,150 adolescents aged 14-17 over a 9 year period. Results suggest skin type, gender, tanning-related attitudes and behaviours, and perceived relevance of sun-protection campaigns are associated with sun-protection behaviours. Adolescent males displayed a greater rate of sunburn and were less likely to engage in sun-protective behaviours. These findings could inform future interventions designed to increase effective sun-protective behaviours. The study has limited generalisability based on the sample and lacks specificity because of limited response options. This study helped me to better understand the possible need for multiple campaigns to target specific demographics within the population.