Canadian National Survey on Sun Exposure & Protective Behaviours: youth at leisure.

Objective: To describe the prevalence of sun exposure and protective behaviours during leisure time among Canadian youth 15 to 24 years of age.

Design: A random-digit-dialling telephone household survey of 4023 people 15 years of age or more was completed in 1996; 574 youth responded to questions about their sun exposure and protective behaviours from June to August 1996.

Results: Half of the youth (51%) reported 30 minutes to 2 hours of daily sun exposure, and 36% reported more than 2 hours. A large proportion (68%) reported sunburns. The prevalence of sun protective actions ranged from 38% for wearing a hat to 26% for both seeking shade and avoiding the sun between 11 am and 4 pm. There were sex differences in sun-related behaviours among youth.

Discussion: The large proportion of Canadian youth who reported sun exposure and the small proportion who reported taking protective actions suggest the need for primary prevention. Interventions should address sex differences and focus on multiple methods of protection.