Survey - Outrunning the Sun - An analysis of Skin Cancer Risk Awareness and Protection amongst Irish Athletes
“Outrunning the Sun”: An analysis of Skin Cancer Risk, Awareness and Protection amongst Irish Athletes
Survey on Cancer Awareness and Protection
If you are an athlete, and over the age of 16, you are welcome to participate in this project
Dear Athlete, My name is Maebh Daly, I am a 4th year medical student and have been a member of Athletics Ireland since 2008
Maebh Daly, Carraig na bhFear AC - Photo: Sam Barnes/Sportfile
As part of my medical degree, I must complete a final year research project. I have chosen to conduct my research on Skin Cancer in Irish Athletes. The title of the project is "Outrunning the Sun"; an Analysis of Skin Cancer Risk, Awareness and Protection amongst Irish Athletes
The project will involve distribution of a survey to Irish Athletes around the country. The survey will take between 5 and 10 minutes to complete, and will contain questions regarding personal skin cancer risk factors, awareness and knowledge of skin cancer, and finally use of sun protection whilst training. This survey is completely anonymous, participation is voluntary and you may withdraw at any time up until submission of the survey
If you are an athlete, and over the age of 16, you are welcome to participate in this project
This project is looking at a relatively unexplored area of sports medicine. It has the potential to grow and develop into something bigger, which I hope will educate and protect our young athletes in the future. I am very lucky to be working with Mr. James Clover; Consultant Plastic Surgeon with special interest in Melanoma Skin Cancer, and Dr. Jim Donovan; Chief Medical Officer of Sports Ireland, both of whom are experts in their fields
If you would like to participate in this project, please see the link below, along with the attached participant invitation and information leaflet
If you have any queries, please feel free to contact me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Thank you in advance for your participation,
Kind regards, Maebh Daly
Participant Invitation Letter
(Online)
Study Title: “Outrunning the Sun”: An analysis of Skin Cancer Risk, Awareness and
Protection amongst Irish Athletes
Chief Investigator: Mr. James Clover, Consultant Plastic Surgeon, Cork University Hospitals
Group
Contact Number: (021) 492 2575
Medical Student: Maebh Daly
Email Address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Skin Cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world, and the Irish population are at a high risk of acquiring it. Irish Athletes spend a disproportionate amount of time outdoors compared to the general population, thus increasing their risk of obtaining sun damageleading to a skin cancer. It is my hope that through this survey, the awareness regarding the dangers of skin cancer in Irish athletes will be raised and will encourage athletes to develop the knowledge on how to protect themselves
So, what can you do to help? By taking this survey, you will be spreading awareness and knowledge on the dangers of Skin Cancer in the Athletic community, in turn reduce the risk of skin cancer amongst your fellow athletes and coaches
Should you wish to take part you will be required to complete a questionnaire online which will take approximately 5 minutes
Your participation is voluntary, and you are free to withdraw at any time
Should you decide to participate, the information gathered as part of this study will be used
only in this study. No identifiable information about you will be used in the analysis
Thank you for your help in this matter
If you are still interested in taking part, please read the following participant information
Participant Information
(Online)
Study Title: Outrunning the Sun: An analysis of Skin Cancer Risk, Awareness and Protection
amongst Irish Athletes
Chief Investigator: Mr. James Clover, Consultant Plastic Surgeon, Cork University Hospitals
Group
Contact Number: (021) 492 2575
Medical Student: Maebh Daly
Email Address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
1. Project Description
I am undertaking this study as part of my research project, for my Medicine Degree in UCC. The aim of this study is to explore Irish athletes’ perception of skin cancer, and the personal risk it poses to them. To do this, I will be asking you, as Irish athletes to complete a questionnaire which contains questions about Skin Type, Knowledge of Skin Cancer, and what you do to protect yourself from the sun. You will not berequired to give any personal information in this survey, it will be completely anonymous, and you will not be identifiable by your answers. Your consent will be implied by your decision to complete and submit the questionnaire
2. Why have I been chosen?
You have been asked to take part in this project because you meet the criteria for the population being studied; An Irish athlete, that is aged 16 or over, who participates in outdoor training and competitions. Your answers will be compiled, and the results analysed, in the hope of gaining a better understanding of Irish Athletes’ perception of skin cancer, and the personal risk it poses to you
3. What will it involve?
You will be asked to complete a questionnaire, which should take no more than 5 minutes. You may have received a link to this questionnaire from your club secretary via email or have accessed the link through your club’s social media page. The questionnaire is in the form of Google Forms and can be submitted online once each question is answered. Please complete and submit the questionnaire ONCE only, there is no need to repeat it. Should you have any difficulty, you can contact me at my email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
4. What will happen to the information collected?
The information collected will be stored on a password protected computer, in a password protected file, on UCC OneDrive. The data will be accessible to the research team only. It will be analysed and presented in the medical student’s research project presentation and report. This anonymous data will also be presented at aresearch conference and published in a research journal if such opportunities arise. As this is an anonymous survey, the data analysis and results will contain no information which is personally identifiable to you
5. Will the information I give be confidential?
Yes, your information will be anonymous, as no personally identifiable information will be collected in the survey. To further protect confidentiality, the data will also be stored securely on a password protected computer and will only be accessible to the research team (listed above)
This study has been approved by the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of the Cork Teaching Hospitals, Lancaster Hall, 6 Little Hanover Street, Cork, 021 4901901
