In 2023, Cancer Council and the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care launched a national skin cancer prevention campaign, targeting young Australians aged 18 – 30 years old. The campaign was built on a rich foundation of research, informing the campaign logic model – the planning tool designed to assess the campaign’s implementation and outcomes.
A robust integrated communications campaign was developed to increase the proportion of young Australians who self-report using sun protection outside, by increasing understanding of susceptibility of, and severity of, UV exposure; and increasing the proportion of Australians who seen SunSmart behaviours as desirable. These objectives would be measured by an online cross sectional pre and post survey of 18 – 30-year-olds, with an additional cohort sample followed-up post campaign.
Data collection was managed by The Social Research Centre via an online non-probability panel. The total sample (6,000 people) comprised of 3,500 sampled at baseline (November-December 2023), 2,500 sampled at post-campaign and a further 1,200 from the baseline which made up the cohort sample, followed up post-campaign (April 2024).
The baseline and post-campaign surveys covered sun protection and UV exposure behaviour, exposure and recall of sun protection campaigns, attitudes, beliefs, control, and efficacy, as well as demographic and screening questions. At post-campaign, additional questions focusing on the recall of the End the Trend campaign were included.
Analysis of the data is currently underway to assess campaign recall, and shifts in intent, attitude, and awareness on the target audience. Findings to be presented.