Adolescents, sun protection and social marketing

Skin cancer is a very real and prominent health problem for Australians. For adolescents in particular, despite adequate knowledge levels, they are continuing to have negative sun safe behaviours as attitudinal and social factors overpower health promotion efforts. Through a comprehensive literature review, competitors to health promotion are addressed and the need for a more comprehensive strategy for behaviour change is outlined. Social marketing is introduced as a potential and effective strategy in behaviour change interventions. It is believed to be far more appropriate for hard to change behaviours such as adolescent sun protection, as it uses to go beyond mere education and addresses the underlying issues.