Hi all. I've been away on holiday, so have fallen behind by about two weeks on my course timetable. (Many thanks to my tutor, Tricia, for giving me a week's extension, on the latest essay.)
The latest essay asked me to write a report on risk. On how people manage risk, and whether or not they use expert advice to manage it, or indeed, whether they interpret such advice to suit their lifestyles or activities. I chose to report on a case study relating to people's attitude to suntanning. The focus group in the study came from Glasgow, described as having short summers, long winters. Yes, we all know that already, but a background has to be set in these types of studies, otherwise, we don't have all the factors we need to consider.
A focus group is different to an individual interview in the respect that, whilst there is still an interviewer asking questions, the results are taken from the interaction between members of the group. This group talked about preparing for travelling on holiday, and rheir feelings and attitudes during and after. I could not relate to the group in the respect that, unanimously, they agreed that they would use a sunbed before going away to "avoid looking peely-wally". I did understand the choice of holiday clothes though, such as the types of clothing, and the light colours of these. The group talked about being able to spot Scottish folk a mile away because of their light colour, and, more worryingly, that this was a source of embarrasment to them. What they also said was that on return from holiday, they would feel that they were somehow being judged on the quality of, or lack of a suntan.
For me, this is really quite disturbing. That people can be more concerned with a visible sign of consumption, than with the risk of developing skin cancer is crazy. Maybe, as someone who has sallow skin, and doesn't look like Mr Blobby after a half hour of gardening, I'm not in a position to understand these "concerns", but even in considering this, I still plastered myself in a high factor sunblock, and avoided as much as possible, being outside in the hottest part of the day. I did get a touch of sunburn on the second day of being away, but this was due to my underestimation of how hot the day might have been, due to it being quite cloudy. A lesson learned there.
The difference, as I see it, was that I took the advice of experts and used it to keep safe. The focus group referred to above, interpreted conflicting expert opinions (Cancer Research say to avoid over exposure to sunlight, other medical opinions say lack of sunlight can lead to poor mental health) to put themselves at risk.
Whichever advice you want to follow is a matter for your interpretation, and your own experiences, but one thing is certain. Sun safety is not exactly a burning issue when you live in Glasgow.
The latest essay asked me to write a report on risk. On how people manage risk, and whether or not they use expert advice to manage it, or indeed, whether they interpret such advice to suit their lifestyles or activities. I chose to report on a case study relating to people's attitude to suntanning. The focus group in the study came from Glasgow, described as having short summers, long winters. Yes, we all know that already, but a background has to be set in these types of studies, otherwise, we don't have all the factors we need to consider.
A focus group is different to an individual interview in the respect that, whilst there is still an interviewer asking questions, the results are taken from the interaction between members of the group. This group talked about preparing for travelling on holiday, and rheir feelings and attitudes during and after. I could not relate to the group in the respect that, unanimously, they agreed that they would use a sunbed before going away to "avoid looking peely-wally". I did understand the choice of holiday clothes though, such as the types of clothing, and the light colours of these. The group talked about being able to spot Scottish folk a mile away because of their light colour, and, more worryingly, that this was a source of embarrasment to them. What they also said was that on return from holiday, they would feel that they were somehow being judged on the quality of, or lack of a suntan.
For me, this is really quite disturbing. That people can be more concerned with a visible sign of consumption, than with the risk of developing skin cancer is crazy. Maybe, as someone who has sallow skin, and doesn't look like Mr Blobby after a half hour of gardening, I'm not in a position to understand these "concerns", but even in considering this, I still plastered myself in a high factor sunblock, and avoided as much as possible, being outside in the hottest part of the day. I did get a touch of sunburn on the second day of being away, but this was due to my underestimation of how hot the day might have been, due to it being quite cloudy. A lesson learned there.
The difference, as I see it, was that I took the advice of experts and used it to keep safe. The focus group referred to above, interpreted conflicting expert opinions (Cancer Research say to avoid over exposure to sunlight, other medical opinions say lack of sunlight can lead to poor mental health) to put themselves at risk.
Whichever advice you want to follow is a matter for your interpretation, and your own experiences, but one thing is certain. Sun safety is not exactly a burning issue when you live in Glasgow.
