Predictors of sunburn in north Queensland recreational boat users

ISSUE ADDRESSED: Identify personal and situationalfactors predicting sunburn in north Queensland recreational boat users over summer. METHODS: Cross-sectional survey with prospective 24-hour follow-up for sunburn, conducted in Townsville, north Queensland, during the summer of 2003. Ninety-three out of 100 boat users returning after a day trip agreed to participate. All were followed up, with three later excluded from analysis due to prior sunburn (n=90, response rate 93%). RESULTS: Overall, 48% of participants experienced sunburn as a result of their boat trip; 57% of these developed sunburn on the face and 43% on both the V of the neck and the legs. Factors found to increase the occurrence of sunburn were longer time on the water between 10 am-2 pm, not wearing a wide-brimmed hat, not working outdoors, and going boating less than once per month. CONCLUSIONS: The survey shows unacceptably high levels of sunburn in north Queensland boat users. Sunburn appears related to not using optimal sun protection between 10 am and 2 pm. Boat users in the tropics need to wear a brimmed hat to better protect the face, a collared long-sleeved shirt buttoned up at the throat to protect the V of the neck and arms, long pants, and rely less on sunscreen and on darker skin types that are perceived to sunburn less readily.