Oral Presentation Skin Cancer 2024

The Danish Sun Safety Campaign 2007 – 2022: what we have achieved and current status (#70)

Brian BK Køster 1 , Nynne NJSF Johanne Sahl Frederiksen 1 , Peter PD Dalum 1
  1. Danish Cancer Society, Copenhagen, DENMARK (+45), Denmark

Background:

In 2007, the Danish Cancer Society and the Danish foundation TrygFonden initiated the Danish Sun Safety Campaign to prevent skin cancer by reducing the UV exposure from the natural sun and sunbeds among the Danish population. We summarize the results of the Campaign and show recent data from 2015-2022.

Methods:

The campaign builds on a broad range of change strategies including national media campaigns, teaching materials, use of social media, extensive direct local communication, campaign volunteers. Furthermore, the campaign has had a strong focus on changing structural factors e.g. access to shade, ban of sunbeds in public buildings.

Results:

We monitored the effect of the campaign annually in national surveys. 

  • Campaign knowledge remains high: 80 % of Danes aged 15-70 know about the Danish Sun Safety campaign.
  • The use of sunbed decreased from 41 % in 2008 to 9 % in 2013 among Danes aged 15-25, who were the primary target group of the anti-sunbed campaign activities, and from 21 % in 2008 to 10 % in 2013 among Danes aged 26-64. Recently, however, the prevalence increased again for the 15-25-year-olds to 23 % in 2022.
  • The prevalence of sunburn decreased during 2008 to 2014 however increased afterwards from 2015 to 2022.

Outcome:

The Sun Safety Campaign have used a multicomponent strategy to change behaviour among Danes in the natural sun and in sunbeds.