Media Information Gap Puts Outdoor Workers at Higher Risk

A significant gap in media coverage of outdoor workers' sun exposure risks could increase the likelihood they
will contract skin cancer because of a lack of
available information about sun protection, according to a survey by SunAWARE, a Minneapolis non-profit sun protection education organization.

The survey analyzed a total of 143 media stories about
"heat stress," "sun protection," "skin cancer," and "outdoor workers" during a two week period. Of the 143 stories analyzed, only two stories provided sun protection advice specifically
for outdoor workers.

SunAWARE researchers reviewed the front page of Google News to identify stories in media outlets in 36 states including community-based newspapers and television stations, wire services, magazines, radio, and 12 large Internet news sites. Duplicates, irrelevant stories, and international stories were not included in the survey analysis.

Major Findings:

• Story Topics: The largest number of stories, 55 stories, or 38 percent of the total, addressed the topic of "skin cancer." Of these 27 provided general sun protection advice. Other subjects included tanning beds, skin cancer treatments, suspicious moles, and skin cancer risk factors. Some 33 stories about "heat stress" accounted for 23 percent of the total; 36 "sun protection" stories were 25 percent of the total. "Outdoor Workers" were a subject of 19 stories or 13 percent of the total.
• Outdoor Workers: Only 19 stories in the two-week period, or 13 percent of the total, focused on outdoor workers. Of these, six were newspaper stories. The rest were television stories, typically man-on-the-street interviews with workers during a period of extreme heat. Of these, only one mentioned sun protection advice specifically for outdoor workers. The balance focused primarily on avoiding heat stress. Of the television stories analyzed, only two provided expert advice on heat stress for outdoor workers.
• Media Research: Of the 143 stories, 22 (15 percent of the total) were guest columns or reprints. The other stories cited a total of 269 sources, or an average of over two sourced per story. "This average doesn't reflect the number of stories where five, six, or seven sources were citied," Mary Mills Barrow, SunAWARE executive director, said. "There is no doubt the media work hard to provide important sun related information to their communities."
• Expert Sources: 60 percent of the sources cited in these stories are experts, either from national organizations such as the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control, or at the local level such as community doctors, health departments, or other agencies. Other sources are man-on-the-street, cancer survivors, local parents, or coaches. A small number of academic sources are quoted as well.
• Inaccurate Information: In almost one-quarter of skin cancer and sun protection stories (33 stories or 23 percent of the total) information was out of date, inaccurate, or incomplete. A major omission was the focus of sunscreen as the primary defense against UVR without any mention of sun protective clothing which the American Academy of Dermatology and the American Academy of Pediatrics says is the first and best line of defense against UVR.