Owen CarterOwen CarterResearch FellowResearch Fellow

Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer ControlCentre for Behavioural Research in Cancer Control

Curtin University of TechnologyCurtin University of Technology

Investigating Presentation Investigating Presentation Methods of the Ultraviolet Methods of the Ultraviolet

IndexIndex

The Ultraviolet Index

• Forecast by BoM in Australia since 1996

• Reported in variety of media

• Internationally standardised in 1995

Reporting of the UV Index

• Television

Reporting of the UV Index

• Television• Radio

…and today’s UV index is 12 and extreme

Reporting of the UV Index

• Television• Radio• Newspapers

Reporting of the UV Index

• Television• Radio• Newspapers• Internet

Salience of the UV Index

Blunden, Lower and Slevin (2004)• WA public awareness is high (90%)• Understanding is ‘good’• Recall is low (5%)• Utilisation is poor (~1%)

Criticisms of the UV Index

• Gives no behavioural cues

• Fails to describe ‘complexity’ of UV conditions

WHO Recommendations

• Categorise by colour and label

WHO Recommendations• Add behavioural cues

WHO Recommendations• Add behavioural cues

UV Index International Examples

• Location maps

American Location Map

European Location Map

Spanish Location Map

British Location Map

UV Index International Examples

• Location maps

• Contour maps

American Contour Map

American Contour Map

American Contour Map

European Contour Map

Australian Contour Map

New Zealand Contour Map

UV Index International Examples

• Location maps

• Contour maps

• Altitude maps

Austrian Alpine Chart

UV Index International Examples

• Location maps

• Contour maps

• Altitude maps

• Time graphs

Australian Time Graph

Australian Time Graph

New Zealand Time Graph

UV Index International Examples

• Pictographs

• Location maps

• Contour maps

• Altitude maps

• Time graphs

New Zealand pictograph

Study Aim• To assess and compare various presentation

methods of the UV index to maximise public awareness, recall, understanding, attitude and utilisation

Methodology• Six groups stratified by age and sex

Age Male Female Total

16 to 21 8 7 15

22 to 30 5 8 13

31 to 44 8 8 16

Total 21 23 44

Methodology

• Completed brief questionnaires to ascertain pre-existing knowledge and beliefs about the UV index

Methodology

• Groups shown thirty UV index presentation formats

• The relative merits of each were discussed

“What is mentioned in weather forecasts?”

Measure Top of Mind Top Three Any Mention

Temperature 57% 77% 93%

Humidity 14% 30% 41%

Rainfall 11% 18% 64%

Winds 7% 18% 77%

Seas 4% 5% 43%

Cloud cover 2% 27% 41%

Air pressure 2% 11% 45%

UV Index - 5% 56%

Fire danger - - 18%

“What aspects of the weather forecast would you heed if heading

to the beach?”Measure Top of mind Top Three Any mention

Temperature 59% 86% 89%

Wind 14% 50% 52%

Seas 14% 48% 55%

UV Index 7% 23% 30%

Rain 4% 23% 30%

Humidity - 11% 14%

Cloud Cover - 9% 14%

“How many times have you been sunburnt this summer?”

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

0 1 2 3 4 5 6

Times sunburnt this summer

Per

cen

t

“What do you consider to be a ‘healthy’ tan?”

0

10

20

30

40

50

notan

lighttan

mediumtan

darktan

very darktan

Per

cen

t

“Where have you noticed the UV index reported?”

0%

9%

95%

18%

Internet

Newspaper

Radio

Television

Per

cen

t

extremelyuseful

veryuseful

somewhatuseful

not veryuseful

not usefulat all

0

10

20

30

40

50

“How useful do you consider the UV Index?”

• “Higher values mean it is easier to get burnt”• Poor appreciation of UVI range• Frequently associated with temperature• Hourly variation in UVI vaguely understood• Effects of cloud cover poorly understood• More attention paid to label than number

Understanding of the UV Index

Television• “Eyes drawn strait to temperature first”

• “Usually only hear it, not see it”

• “Should be on separate screen to temperature”

• “Should be same size as temperature”

Newspaper• “Never noticed it”• “Barely see it”• “No one uses it”• “Have to actually know

it’s there to look for it”• “Eyes drawn away to

Perth temperature”

WHO Format• Colours liked by women but disliked by men• Too many categories at lower values of UV index

and not enough at higher levels• “Need a colour and label for extreme extreme”

Perth Monthly Average UV Index

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

UV

Ind

ex

Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

34

6

8

1011

1211

9

6

43

WHO Format• “People already know what to do”• “Same all year round!”• “Means staying in-doors half the year”• “Stupid”

Location Map• “Would confuse with temperature forecast”• “Only want to know about Perth”• “Not very meaningful”• “Not enough detail”

Location Map• “Would confuse with temperature forecast”• “Only want to know about Perth”• “Not very meaningful”• “Not enough detail”

• “Overkill”• “Too much”

Location Map• “Would confuse with temperature forecast”• “Only want to know about Perth”• “Not very meaningful”• “Not enough detail”

• “Overkill”• “Too much”

• “Better…”

Contour Map• “YUCK!”• “No good”• “Not useful”• “Too hard to read”

Contour Map• “YUCK!”• “No good”• “Not useful”• “Too hard to read”

• “Too little range”

• “Maybe more colours”

Horizon Time Graph• “Instantly tells you the story”• “Easy to read”• “Informative”• “Nice colours”• “Too colourful”• “Colours too

distracting”• “White line gets

lost”

Horizon Time Graph + Symbols

• “Tells you what to do and when to do it”• “Good idea”• “Symbols good

reminders”• “Good for kids”• “Too busy”• “Not necessary”

Vertical Time Graph• “Eyes drawn to purple / extreme”• “Time easier to

read”• “Drawn to time”• “Pretty good”• “Blue and purple

clash”• “Eyes drawn to

blue”

Vertical Time Graph + Symbols

• “Pictures are distracting”• “Takes emphasis

from graph”• “Too much

happening”• “Helpful for kids”

Alternative Colour Scheme• Graduated spectrum with red as ‘extreme’

• Red synonymous with danger

• Either strongly liked or disliked

• Overall no great advantage

Bar and Column Time Graphs• Alternative time graphs

• Bars/columns easier to read for some

• Less “flowing” than bell graphs

Group Preference Rankings

Female Male Σ Rank

16-21 22-30 31-44 16-21 22-30 31-44

V. Bell 1st 5th 1st 2nd 1st 3rd 13 1st

H. Bell 4th 3rd 3rd 1st 2nd 1st 14 2nd

Column 3rd 2nd 2nd 3rd 3rd 2nd 15 3rd

Bar 2nd 1st 4th 4th 4th 4th 19 4th

City 5th 4th 6th 5th 5th 5th 31 5th

Contour 6th 6th 5th 6th 6th 6th 34 6th

2nd 3rd 1st

W I N N E R !

1st

What’s Next?What’s Next?

• Validate findings with a representative sampleValidate findings with a representative sample• 600 intercept interviews assessing:600 intercept interviews assessing:

– Understanding of UV indexUnderstanding of UV index– Preference for different formatsPreference for different formats– Likely impact on sun protection behavioursLikely impact on sun protection behaviours

• Field study?Field study?