Awareness of alcohol as a risk factor for cancer: A population-based cross-sectional study among 3000 Danish men and women.

Alcohol increases the risk of several cancer types. However, awareness of the link between alcohol and cancer is estimated to be low in Denmark. The objective of this study was to examine awareness of alcohol as a risk factor for cancer in the Danish population. 3000 Danish men and women aged 18-74 years, who are nationally representative participated in a cross-sectional study. Open and closed-ended questions were used to assess unprompted and prompted cancer awareness in relation to the respondents' demographic profile, alcohol consumption and use of tobacco. Unprompted, 22.2% of respondents were aware of the link between alcohol and cancer, whereas prompted 44.8% were aware of this. When prompted about specific cancer types, 39.5% were aware of the fact that alcohol increases the risk of liver cancer and only 9.6% were aware of the link between alcohol and breast cancer. Being aware of the link between alcohol and cancer was associated with being female, having a higher level of education, living in the Capital Region of Denmark, as well as being a non-smoker. There were no statistical significant associations between awareness of alcohol as a risk factor for cancer and the respondents' age, marital status and alcohol consumption. Conclusively, the study confirms a rather low public awareness of the link between alcohol and cancer in the Danish population, especially regarding certain cancer types such as breast cancer. There is a continued need to inform the public about the relationship between alcohol and cancer.

Can a mass media campaign raise awareness of alcohol as a risk factor for cancer and public support for alcohol related policies?

Alcohol consumption increases the risk of several cancers, but public awareness of alcohol as a risk factor for cancer is low. Research indicates that public opinion about alcohol related policies can be influenced by mass media campaigns and awareness of alcohol as a carcinogen. The objective of this study was to test whether a mass media campaign intended to raise awareness of the relation between alcohol and cancer is associated with higher public awareness of alcohol as a risk factor for cancer, and higher levels of support for alcohol related policies. Cross-sectional surveys of a nationally representative sample of N = 6000 Danish adults were conducted pre- (n = 3000) and post campaign (n = 3000) in 2017-2018. Awareness of alcohol as a cancer risk factor significantly increased between the pre and post campaign survey (approximately 5 percentage points). The proportion of respondents who supported minimum unit pricing, a ban on alcohol advertising, and mandatory nutrition labelling was significantly higher post campaign than pre campaign, while support for limited number of retail outlets and limited sale hours were unchanged. For males, but not females, higher support for an 18 year age limit for purchasing alcohol, age limits for buying alcohol at secondary education school parties, and increased enforcement of age limits was found after the campaign than prior to it. Conclusively, the results show that a mass media campaign was associated with an increase in awareness of alcohol as a risk factor for cancer as well as alcohol policy support at a population level.

Association between sunburn and demographic factors and health behaviour among Danish students.

Sunburn is associated with an increased risk for skin cancer. Denmark has one of the highest incidences of melanoma in the world, although it is a relatively northern country. The objective of this study was to determine whether sunburn is associated with demographic factors and health behaviour among young Danes. Cross-sectional data of >55,000 15- to 25-year-old students participating in the Danish National Youth Study were collected in 2014. Multilevel logistic regression analysis was used to determine associations. Overall, 45% of the students had experienced at least one sunburn in Denmark, and 60% had experienced one sunburn abroad in the past year. Females had higher odds for sunburns than males. Education and geographical region were associated with sunburn but with opposite trends related for sunburn experienced in Denmark and abroad. Students who had poor dietary habits (only abroad), indulged in binge-drinking, smoked (only in Denmark), and more physical activity (only abroad) had higher odds for having a sunburns. We conclude that sunburn is prevalent among young Danes, especially those travelling abroad. Although we found some associations with demographic factors and health behaviour, there were no evident tendencies, thus indicating that broad population-based campaigning should be the preferred intervention.

Sunbed use among 64,000 Danish students and the associations with demographic factors, health-related behaviours, and appearance-related factors.

Sunbed use is associated with an increased risk for skin cancer and is particularly dangerous for younger persons. The objective of this study was to assess how demographic factors, health-related behaviours and appearance-related factors are associated with sunbed use. Cross-sectional data from the Danish National Youth Study collected by the National Institute of Public Health during 2014 was used. A total of 64,382 students aged 15-25years were included in the present study. Multilevel logistic regression analyses were used to determine associations. Sunbed use during the past 12months was reported by 22% of students, with a higher proportion among females (29%) than males (12%). Factors associated with sunbed use were older age, studying at a vocational college or a higher preparatory examination school compared to upper secondary school, and lower parental education. Furthermore, being a smoker, been binge-drinking, longer duration of exercise and been dieting were also associated with sunbed use. For females, poor dietary habits were also associated with sunbed use. Feeling overweight was associated with lower odds for sunbed use for males, but with higher odds for females. Lower body satisfaction was associated with higher odds of sunbed use, except for overweight males. Students who were underweight had lower odds for sunbed use, than normal weight students. Conclusively, we found evidence of associations between demographic factors, health-related behaviours and appearance-related factors and sunbed use. Understanding these relations could help to identify high-risk groups and guide preventive strategies for sunbed use and skin cancer prevention.