Skin cancer prevention in persons working and walking outside

This project focuses on reducing the risk of skin cancer among people working outdoors and young people spending extended time outside (including loitering youths). For this purpose, awareness needs to be created among persons working or walking outside concerning the increased risk and influences of UV radiation on the skin, but behavioural change will also be needed to reduce the increased risk of skin cancer with preventive activities and resources. Owning preventive tools and applying them is important for successful behaviour change.

Preventive measures

Preventive measures should be appropriate for the work, environmental factors and needs of the profession. This could include:

• adapted sunscreen cream, e.g. by adjusting the substance and/or designing spray (cabins);
• flexible stain-resistant UV clothing specially designed for the outdoor workers;
• movable shade spots that can be adapted to the working environment.

In co-creation with the field, the best-fit preventive means are developed by continuously soliciting feedback, evaluating the means and working together to find the best fit for each profession. 

There is also a focus on awareness and behavioural change; when this is achieved among outdoor workers, it will also be used in adapted form among outdoor walkers.

Objective

The ultimate goal of the project is to reduce the risk of skin cancer in persons working and walking outdoors (loitering youths).

Target group

The target group of this project are people who are working and walking outside such as window cleaners, gardeners, painters and carpenters. Trainee outdoor workers are also approached for this purpose. The age range is between 16 and 67 years. The people walking outside (loitering youths) within the study are aged between 12 and 20.

Method

For the change approach, the focus is on designing a targeted publication campaign for outdoor workers and creating physical adaptations on sunscreen material. The publication campaign and sunscreen material are made in co-creation with the participating parties within a development process based on the Double Diamond model. This development process consists of two main sub-processes; with sub-process one focusing on the essence of the problem and needs of the target group, and sub-process two focusing on an appropriate solution from the design issue. 

Sub-process one

Sub-process one consists of the discover phase and the define phase. These identify the problem and need. This is done by organising one or more group meetings with the stakeholders. Current behaviour around preventive means is explored, through observations, questionnaires, and interviews among outdoor workers and managers. Various public campaigns are being developed and tested at member companies and training programmes. Thus, in the definition phase, an overall picture of the desired material and the needs of the outdoor workers is created. 

Sub-process two

Sub-process two consists of the development phase and the delivery phase. In the development phase, the sun-resistant materials and publication campaigns are developed in co-creation with the stakeholders and with the help of the design team. This is done in two iterations; in the first development phase, ideas are created and prototypes are designed for the publication campaign and sun-resistant materials. The publication material will be developed with the help of all stakeholders and will be tested within the affiliated companies of outdoor workers. At the end of the phase, the applicability and handling of outdoor workers' campaigns, education and innovative products will be evaluated. 

In the second development phase, the areas for improvement will be taken into account and tested again in Collaboration with affiliated companies and staff of Wijkz. Re-testing whether the chosen interventions are working, offers the opportunity to incorporate changes, starting another cycle in sub-process one. The development phase will be completed with an interim evaluation, which forms input for the delivery phase. In this phase, there is room for implementation of the publication campaign and adapted sun-resistant materials, so that it becomes a logical part of the work performed by outdoor workers. Finally, the intended outcomes are evaluated. After the evaluation, there are also opportunities to start another cycle.

Duration

The project will cover five years and it was started on 1 July 2024. The project ends on 1 July 2029.

Team

• Rowie van Drie
• Joke Korevaar
• Yvonne van Zaalen

Collaboration

The project focuses mainly on co-creation with the field of work, for this purpose the research groups Oncological Care and Relational Care of The Hague University of Applied Sciences work together with:

• The National Skin Fund
• Wijkz
• GGD Haaglanden
• Van Kesteren Schilders
• Verheij Integrale groenzorg

Funding

The project is facilitated through a grant from Regieorgaan SIA, from the RAAK scheme.

Contact

Rowie van Drie ([email protected])