Sun protection practices in New Zealand secondary schools: a 2014 baseline study.

OBJECTIVE: Guided by the established primary school SunSmart programme, a survey of secondary schools' sun protection policies, planning, behavioural expectations, curriculum content and environment was undertaken in order to establish a baseline to inform advocacy and secondary level programme development. METHODS: All 448 principals of state or state integrated public secondary schools identified from the Ministry of Education database were mailed a hard copy questionnaire. School sun protection practices were assessed and a summative, non-weighted, 11-item Total Sun Protection Score (TSPS) was created. Associations between TSPS and socio-demographic factors, as well as school sun protection policy, were investigated using unadjusted and multiple linear regressions. RESULTS: Usable responses received from 211 of the 448 schools (47% participation) indicated reasonable representativeness of eligible schools, but under-representation of low socioeconomic decile institutions (p = 0.003) and those with the smallest roll size (p = 0.004). Only 50% of schools reported having a sun protection policy. The least attained TSPS components were outdoor event planning (17.1%), student breaks (16.6%), sun-protective clothing (8.5%) and shade provision (6.2%). The mean (SD) TSPS was 4.58 (2.06). In multivariable analysis, TSPS was statistically significantly positively associated with having a sun protection policy (p < 0.001) and the presence of primary level classes (p < 0.001) - the latter suggesting a possible influence of programme continuity, but negatively associated with integrated school status (p = 0.036). CONCLUSION: A standard SunSmart programme could be promoted to all schools, irrespective of socioeconomic decile, overall roll size, gender status or regional population density. Low attainment of some TSPS components indicates targeting priorities.

Targeting early detection of malignant melanoma of the skin.

Incidence and mortality rates, and clinical stage at diagnosis were analysed for malignant melanoma of the skin in recent years to assist in identifying high risk groups. Over 12 years to 1985-6 age standardised melanoma mortality rates in the nonMaori population increased 90% among men and 16% among women. In most age groups the male death rate was twice the female rate. Almost half the deaths from melanoma in 1983-6 were in men aged 45 or older. Age standardised incidence rates, for each sex, continued to increase to 1983-4. Among older age groups melanomas were less likely to be localised at diagnosis. This fall in localisation occurred at much younger ages (about 40) among men than among women. Middle aged men and older men and women are important target groups for education about the early detection of melanoma.

Cigarette smoking and psychiatric morbidity in women.

A random community survey of psychiatric morbidity in adult New Zealand women, the Otago Women's Health Survey, investigated the association of cigarette smoking with mental health. Of the women interviewed, just over one quarter (26.1%) smoked, with one third of these smokers consuming more than 20 cigarettes per day. Demographic factors associated with smoking were younger age, lower socio-economic status, poor education, caring for preschool children, dissatisfaction with female caring roles and financial strife. Psychiatric morbidity as measured by the short PSE was statistically associated with smoking. The unexpected finding reported here is a higher rate of recovery from their psychiatric morbidity amongst women who smoked. This result fits with previously reported data indicating that women use cigarette smoking to regulate mood and cope with the pressures of relentless child care in the context of strained financial resources. The profile of the woman who smokes differed substantially from that of the woman who drinks alcohol in a hazardous manner. Different preventive strategies are therefore required for these two risky behaviours.