Just 17 percent of Australian adults slip on clothes to protect themselves from the sun, down 2 percent in the past three years.
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New Cancer council research shows an alarming number of adults are getting sunburn on summer weekends.
17 percent of NSW adults get burnt each weekend in summer.
Sun protection behaviours among adults in the state had recently deteriorated, and that it reinforced the need for continued investment in skin cancer campaigns to ensure adults remain vigilant about reducing their UV exposure, said Megan Mattingly, Community Programs Coordinator for the Southern Tablelands, Cancer Council NSW.
Ms Mattingly also welcomed some of the positive news in the research.
“There has been a noticeable increase in the use of sunscreen among adults. Whilst this is wonderful news, there is still a lot of work to do in terms of educating our local community on the importance of adopting a combination of sun protection measures.
“We suspect Aussies are slopping on sunscreen while at the same time reducing their use of covering clothing and expecting to be protected all day long. Sunscreen is a great tool to help protect your skin, but it isn’t a suit of armour. The motto remains the same - slip, slop, slap, seek shade and slide on sunglasses. Wearing covering clothing is one of the simplest and effective ways to protect your skin.”