Summary
The SunChat project is an exciting new cross-faculty and interdisciplinary collaboration project between researchers in the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science and the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Swansea University and Cardiff and Vale University Health Board. Funded by the Morgan Advanced Studies Institute (MASI) as a basecamp project, the project aims to explore what primary school aged children and their parents think about sun tanning so that we can work towards the MASI vision of a resilient, joyful, and hopeful future for each child. Please click here for more details.
Vlogs
We’ve been vlogging about SunChat!
SunChat Vlog #1 by Dr Julie Peconi & Dr Giselle Tur Porres
SunChat Vlog #2 by Dr Julie Peconi & Dr Giselle Tur Porres
SunChat Publications and Conferences
Click on the links below to read publications resulting from SunChat:
SunChat in the Media
Carmarthenshire News Online, June 2024: New project to tackle tanning perceptions in young people, offering crucial boost to sun-safety education in Wales
Mirage News (Australia), June 2024: Wales Youth Tanning Views Targeted in Sun-Safety Project
ScienMag, June 2024: New project to tackle tanning perceptions in young people, offering crucial boost to sun-safety education in Wales
South Wales Guardian, June 2024: Swansea University tackles skin cancer through SunChat
Swansea University, June 2024: New Project To Tackle Tanning Perceptions In Young People, Offering Crucial Boost To Sun-Safety In Wales
Professional Beauty, June 2024: A new research project led by Swansea University is aiming to cut cases of melanoma by educating children about tanning
Pharmacy Update Online, June 2024: New project to tackle tanning perceptions in young people, offering crucial boost to sun-safety education in Wales
Science X, June 2024: New project to tackle tanning perceptions in young people, offering crucial boost to sun-safety education in Wales
Posters
We are happy to share these posters designed by primary school children in years 1 – 3 as part of the workshops which explored how children perceived tanning and their existing sun-safety habits. As part of the workshop’s activities children were asked to create a poster to encourage healthy behaviour and promote sun safety. The activity informed the final design of the poster, allowing researchers to highlight information that children found important.
The idea of sharing these posters to schools to pass on which sun safety messages they deem important came from the children themselves and we are happy to ensure the voice of children is being heard!
Chief Investigators
Dr Julie Peconi and Dr Gisselle Tur Porres
If you would like to discuss SunChat, please contact us via email at j.peconi@swansea.ac.uk or g.m.turporres@swansea.ac.uk
Related Projects
Sunproofed
Sunproofed aims to understand how primary schools in Wales are responding to growing skin cancer rates and to explore the effectiveness of sun safety policies in schools on knowledge and behaviour. Funded by Health and Care Research Wales under their Health Research Grant Scheme, Sunproofed is a 2-year study which runs until September 2023.
SunView
SunView is an exciting project funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales as part of their RWIF Collaboration Booster External Engagement Fund. Showcasing findings from the Sunproofed study, SunView is one of 50 new exhibits at Oriel Science on the theme of ‘Imaging’. The exhibit, and corresponding educational workshops, aim to raise levels of awareness of the need for sun protection by engaging the local community and showing them just how valuable sun cream is. The SunView exhibit includes a UV camera and fun sun safety quizzes for children and their parents/carers. Since July 2023, Oriel Science has welcomed 2532 visitors. We have also conducted educational workshops with 191 children focusing on UV light and sun protection.
Sunproofed+: Transforming evidence into practice and policy
Sunproofed+: Transforming evidence into practice and policy, a Swansea University Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) Impact Fellowship awarded to Sunproofed Chief Investigator Julie Peconi, will disseminate and share results from Sunproofed. With this grant, the Team will continue to push sun safety up the agenda in schools, the community, and politically so that sun protection receives the same public health emphasis as healthy eating and exercising.
Sun Safety Guidelines
We have been granted funding from The Greatest Need Fund to design and produce sun safety guidelines which will be sent to every Welsh primary school. To see more about what The Greatest Need team do, please click here.
Get Involved/Contact Us
If you would like to discuss any of the studies, please contact us via email at Sunproofed@swansea.ac.uk
Instagram: www.instagram.com/sunproofed
Twitter: www.twitter.com/sunproofed
Contact Details
Trial Manager / Lead Contact: Dr Julie Peconi
Phone: 01792 606226
Email: j.peconi@swansea.ac.uk