Skin Cancer in Relation to the Ottawa Charter
PDHPE
SKIN CANCER
Cancer is the second largest cause of death in Australia and accounts for approximately 27% of all deaths. Risk factors generally include exposure to sun, poor diet and smoking. Many types of cancer such as skin cancer, lung cancer and breast cancer are easily preventable by early detection and awareness; however, some cancers cannot be prevented.
The National Skin Cancer Awareness Program represents the new public health approach. This is because it has been created to prevent and reduce the incidence of skin cancer among teenagers and young adults. It takes into account the social determinants that influence a person’s health. For example, due to the sun’s very strong UV rays, Australia is a very hot country and consequently, due to the influence that the media has on young people, perceiving a tan as beautiful, teenagers tend to have more exposure to the sun. Similarly to the strategies above, the Awareness Program shows the linkage with the five action areas of the Ottawa Charter.
Developing personal skills refers to the education and development of healthy personal skills to exercise control over their own health environments and to make better health choices. Widely distributed accurate information via mass media including newspapers and television or radio advertisements provides deeper understanding of the risk of cancer and ways to personally take action and decrease the risk for yourself and the others around you. Resources about cancer prevention, treatment and support services are available in public libraries, and the development of free cancer information resources that are marketed and accessible by the whole community would also assist and educate individuals in making healthier lifestyle choices. The Awareness Program develops personal skills to specifically reduce the risk of skin cancer by informing the community about the risk of excess sun exposure and what the underlying facts about skin cancer are. The campaign also
SKIN CANCER
Cancer is the second largest cause of death in Australia and accounts for approximately 27% of all deaths. Risk factors generally include exposure to sun, poor diet and smoking. Many types of cancer such as skin cancer, lung cancer and breast cancer are easily preventable by early detection and awareness; however, some cancers cannot be prevented.
The National Skin Cancer Awareness Program represents the new public health approach. This is because it has been created to prevent and reduce the incidence of skin cancer among teenagers and young adults. It takes into account the social determinants that influence a person’s health. For example, due to the sun’s very strong UV rays, Australia is a very hot country and consequently, due to the influence that the media has on young people, perceiving a tan as beautiful, teenagers tend to have more exposure to the sun. Similarly to the strategies above, the Awareness Program shows the linkage with the five action areas of the Ottawa Charter.
Developing personal skills refers to the education and development of healthy personal skills to exercise control over their own health environments and to make better health choices. Widely distributed accurate information via mass media including newspapers and television or radio advertisements provides deeper understanding of the risk of cancer and ways to personally take action and decrease the risk for yourself and the others around you. Resources about cancer prevention, treatment and support services are available in public libraries, and the development of free cancer information resources that are marketed and accessible by the whole community would also assist and educate individuals in making healthier lifestyle choices. The Awareness Program develops personal skills to specifically reduce the risk of skin cancer by informing the community about the risk of excess sun exposure and what the underlying facts about skin cancer are. The campaign also