An advertising campaign launched by Queensland Health to encourage young people to stay ‘sun safe’ this winter by reminding them to slip, slop, slap, seek and slide.
In a statement, Queensland Health said they were necessary precautions even during the cooler winter months.
“Two in three Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime, one Australian is diagnosed with melanoma every 30 minutes — while Queensland has the unenviable record of having the highest rate of skin cancer in the world,” the Department said.
“The new campaign will highlight the fact Queenslanders need to remember that even though the temperatures may have dropped, skin damage is still a risk and they need to take care.”
The Department said the campaign would feature a range of advertisements across multiple media channels including social media, newspapers, radio, podcasts and outdoor advertising and would run until 30 June.
“The advertisements will specifically target people aged 18-to-34 years, outdoor workers and outdoor enthusiasts,” it said.
Minister for Health and Ambulance Services, Yvette D’Ath said advances had been made in the early detection and treatment of skin cancer, but prevention remained the best option.
“My own experience with melanoma has changed the way I protect myself from the sun, but I would implore younger people to take it seriously now, so they don’t have to deal with skin cancer later in life,” the Minister said.
“I would encourage all Queenslanders to practice the sun safety behaviour, including slipping on protective clothing, slopping on SPF30+ sunscreen, slapping on a broad-brimmed hat, seeking shade and sliding on wrap-around sunglasses every time they go outside, no matter the season.”
She said what many people did not realise was that skin damage was still a serious risk in winter, when they often did not think about protecting their skin because the weather was cooler.
The advertising campaign can be accessed at this PS News link.
