Sunburn rates at four-year high

GEELONG’S University Hospital treated 34 people with bad sunburn over the summer in its emergency department, up from 22 the previous summer.

The increase is similarly reflected statewide with SunSmart data released recently showing that 2020-2021 saw the highest rates of sunburn presentations to emergency departments in the last four years, and the second highest number recorded for any year since 2004-2005.

“As sunburn is completely preventable, it is extremely disappointing to see that last year’s presentations to emergency departments were the second highest in the last 17 years,” head of SunSmart Heather Walker said.

Victorians emerging from lockdown is an important consideration when analysing the jump in numbers, Ms Walker said.

“November 2020 saw the beginning of the spike in emergency department presentations for sunburn, just as the state was coming out of one of its harshest lockdowns and people began heading outdoors again.

“It seems Victorians may have been caught out after spending so much time indoors, forgetting the importance of sun protection.”

The number of presentations in the summer were highest among adolescents aged 10-19 years (34 per cent), followed by younger adults aged 20-29 years (23 per cent) and children (18 per cent).

Director of the Victorian Melanoma Service at the Alfred Hospital, Associate Professor Victoria Mar, said Victorian families need to do their part to keep children and adolescents safe from the sun.

“Recent years have shown that it is mostly younger Victorians presenting to emergency departments with sunburn, and alarmingly that number is not declining,” she said.

“UV damage during childhood and adolescence significantly increases the risk of skin cancer.

“Schools and families play a vital role in helping children and adolescents establish good sun protection habits and clearly, we need to do more to help protect the next generation.”