Skin cancer prevention: still missing the target!

Skin cancer is a significant public health issue in Australia due to the preventable nature of the disease, its high incidence rate, and its effects on mortality and morbidity. What public health strategies are being used to target this disease, and is this important health issue being dealt with adequately? This paper highlights three areas where skin cancer prevention programs have failed. Firstly, health education is not successful for individuals in low socio-economic groups where financial and social resources are limited. Secondly, the common ideology that equates a suntan with youth, vigour and health needs to be challenged. Finally, there has been a failure to reorient and use the significant resources available in our health institutions for skin cancer education and prevention.