Skin cancer warning for locked down states

A new study has discovered a curious link between a potential rise in skin cancer rates for millions of Australians caused by months of Covid-19 lockdowns.

Although lockdown restrictions have eased across the nation, a long-term health threat may have emerged.

A potential rise in skin cancer rates among millions of Australians is being attributed to Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns, a study reveals.

Although lockdown restrictions have eased across the nation, a long-term health threat may have emerged, with those living in the more heavily locked-down states of Victoria and NSW putting themselves at greater risk of skin cancer by neglecting usual GP visits.

The research found 48 per cent of Victorians and 46 per cent of people from NSW put off GP visits during lockdown compared with 22 per cent of West Australians and 30 per cent of Queenslanders.

Some 39 per cent of Victorians and 34 per cent of people from NSW had not prioritised skin health this year because of the pandemic, research commissioned by life insurance specialist TAL reveals.

This compared with 21 per cent of West Australians and 22 per cent of Queenslanders, indicating those living in heavily restricted states could be at greater risk when it came to skin cancer detection.

TAL general manager Priya Chagan said: “Whilst Covid-19 restrictions have helped to contain the pandemic, they may have ­contributed to secondary health impacts, with the most locked-down states facing the most disruption to usual health practices and their ability and comfort levels in getting professional health checks.”

Dr Chagan said on a more positive note, at a national level the number of Australians who had never had a professional skin check continued to decline – from 39 per cent in 2017 to 35 per cent in 2020 and 29 per cent in 2021.

“Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers in Australia, with two in three Australians likely to be diagnosed with some form of skin cancer by the age of 70 … one of the greatest preventive measures against skin cancer … is regular self-checking and getting professional skin checks,” Dr Chagan said.

“People from those states that were significantly locked down said they spent remarkably less time outdoors, which could lead to a false sense of confidence when it comes to the need to do regular self-checks.

“Skin cancer does not discriminate and can develop over time whether you spend little or no time in the sun. Covid-19 exacerbated the existing concern of people not self-checking or getting professional skin checks regularly enough, so we are calling on all Australians to re-engage with skin safety this summer to ensure they identify any unusual spots early and maximise the likelihood of successful treatment.”

The research also examined state-by-state attitudes to skin cancer, with 82 per cent of Queenslanders saying they felt more exposed to skin cancer risks because of where they lived.

The report marks the sixth year of TAL SpotChecker, an initiative to educate and provide resources to help Australians take action against skin cancer.