The outcome
The research shows that 49 percent of female students in Queensland attempt to tan – compared to 25 percent of boys. Students between the ages of 16 and 17 years old were more likely to attempt to tan (46 percent) compared with 30 percent of students between the ages of 12 and 13 years old.
Cancer Council of Queensland
A Cancer Council Queensland spokesperson, Katie Clift, made some comments on the findings. “Attempting to tan is dangerous and can cut young lives short,” Clift stated. “Alarmingly, the survey also revealed that a third of students said their skin would ‘just burn or go red’ when asked what would happen to their skin if they stayed in the sun for 30 minutes with no protection at all.”
The ASSAD survey seems to indicate that Queensland teens are still a risk group when it comes to the potential of skin cancer, despite declining melanoma incidence in Australia. So look after yourself and your friends.
