12% of survey respondents had been diagnosed with some form of skin cancer, according to a survey performed by the Chartered Institute of Horticulture and Plant Network looking at awareness of skin cancer and attitudes to sun-safety from those working in the horticulture industry.
The survey was completed by more than 700 respondents, of which, men were almost twice as likely to have been diagnosed with skin cancer compared to women. Respondents with the palest skin tone were twice as likely to have received a skin cancer diagnosis compared to darker skin tones.
“It has been humbling to hear the stories of so many horticulturists affected by all forms of skin cancer. In our self-selecting survey, 71% of respondents reported being sunburned at least once per year; preventing this through proper sun-safety is the best way we can prevent skin cancer.” Jason Daff, Secretary, Chartered Institute of Horticulture
The month of May is Melanoma awareness month, the Chartered Institute of Horticulture and Plant Network are calling for horticulturists to join them in raising awareness of skin cancer and promote best practice for staying safe in the sun while working in the horticulture industry.
The survey reveals some promising examples of sun-safe working; women reported being much more likely to wear sunscreen regularly with 74% claiming to wear sunscreen ‘always’ or ‘most of the time’ compared to only 39% of men. However, 30% of sunscreen users reported ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ reapplying sunscreen whilst working outdoors during the day. Where physical work is likely to result in sunscreen being removed by sweat, the recommendation is to reapply every 2 hours to maintain maximum protection.
One such respondent was freelance horticulturist Anna Ingram, who was diagnosed with malignant melanoma on her arm in 2006. Anna required surgery to remove the melanoma and has since also had a basal cell carcinoma removed from her leg. Now cancer free, Anna is keen to impress on others the need to take sun-safety seriously:
“Keep an eye on your skin, and if you notice any new moles get them checked straightaway. Wear factor 50 sunscreen and re-apply it regularly, particularly to places where you might be washing it off, such as your hands. I always wear a long-sleeved in the summer and wear a hat with a wide brim.”
Interestingly, there appears to be split when it comes to employers providing sunscreen for employees. The survey revealed that employers with more than 250 employees were more than twice as likely to regularly provide sunscreen for employees than smaller employers.
The full report of the results is available to view here.