Owen Carter Research Fellow Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer Control Curtin University of Technology Assessing Western Australians’ Knowledge of the UV Index Research funded by

Primary cause UV radiation exposure Australia highest incidence in World Most common cancer years Skin Cancer

The Ultraviolet Index Standardised in 1995 Forecast in Australia since 1996

Reporting of the UV Index Television Newspapers Internet Radio

Awareness of the UV Index 90% (Blunden et al., 2004) 89% (Alberink et al., 2000) 64% (Kricker & Armstrong, 1998) 78% (White et al., 1997) Use of the UV Index 37%

Knowledge of the UV Index “Western Australians have a good level of general knowledge about the (UV) Index” Blunden et al. (2004)

Intensity of sun 51% Peak sun strength 14% Accurate definitions 65% Knowledge of the UV Index Blunden et al. (2004) – “All associate UVI with sun protection” Amount of sunburn 18% Sun protection required 3% Risk of skin cancer 2% Likelihood of sunburn 12% Erroneous definitions 35%

88% 31% Knowledge of the UV Index Solar noon 12:00PM to 12:20PM “Large majority aware that UV peaks at solar noon” Blunden et al. (2004) – Solar Noon

Knowledge of the UV Index 20% “Is a UV Index score of 7 considered to be extreme, very high, high, moderate or low?” 12% correct Blunden et al. (2004) – UVI Categories “good level” of general knowledge…

Intercept interviews Study Methodology Six stratified focus groups

N=2,020 Not heard of UVI 9% Not sunburnt 6% Non-English speaking 5% Non-Perth residents 19% Refusals 41% Final sample 20% Final sample 20% N=404 (201 males and 203 females) Average age of 29.4 years (range 16–44) –All residents of Perth –All aware of UVI –All sunburnt in last year (1-90 times) 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% Median = 3 Intercept Interview Sample

Forecast Recall What was the forecast today for the UV Index? 46.3% 18.6% 32.9% 5.2% 0.5% 1.0% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% Claimed knowledge Correct Response Approximately correct (± 1) Temperature UVI

UV Index JulAugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun Knowledge of UVI ranges What is the average UVI in Perth during summer/winter? UVI=UVI=1 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% Summer Winter Perth UVI Monthly Averages Winter Summer SPF 30+

True or False? Small Very Hot Dangerous Medium Extremely High Low Moderate Extreme Very High High 90% 0%25%50%75%100% Recognition of UVI categories UVI category Decoy State which of the following are associated with the UV Index? 9% 14% 24% 52% 58% 84% 82% 88% 94% 88% 31% t(383)= p<.001 True or False? True of False? Small Very Hot Dangerous Medium Extremely High Low Moderate Extreme Very High High

Confusion with Burn-time Is it true or false that the UV Index tells you how many minutes it will take to get sunburnt? Don't know 2% 15% False 83% 77% True 23% years χ 2 (1)= p<.01

Association with Temperature Is the UVI dependent or independent on the temperature? Don't know 13% Dependent 48% Independent 39% 61% Ignorant of independence Binomal test [50%] p<.05

Same 5% Don’t know 2% 3:00 PM 48% 11:00 AM 45% Role of Solar Noon Are UV conditions more intense at 11AM or 3PM? Same 5% Don’t know 2% 3:00 PM 48% 11:00 AM 45% Unaware of Solar Noon ≥ 55% Aware of Solar Noon ≤ 45% 88% high extreme Binomal test [50%] p<.05

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% UVI under cloud UVI and Cloud Cover If the UV clear-sky forecast was 12 what might it be under moderate cloud cover? 43% 13% 7% 43% UV INDEX: 12[EXTREME] decreasing to 8[VERY HIGH] under cloud

Conclusions High awareness of the UVI and its category labels Basic appreciation Widespread misconceptions regarding –variation –temperature –cloud cover

Where to from here Bell-curve concept