Dodds M, et al. - Authors evaluated the demographic features and skin cancer risk behaviors of sunless tanners among adults in the US. Findings suggested an association of sunless tanning with risky skin cancer–related behaviors.

Methods

• Experts conducted this secondary analysis of a cross-sectional study used data from the 2015 National Health Interview Survey, a population-based survey of the US noninstitutionalized civilian population.
• A total of 27,353 men and women 18 years or older were included.
• Main outcome and measures included the participant demographics and skin cancer risk behaviors, including indoor tanning, skin cancer screening, sunburn, and sun protection behaviors.

Results

• As per data, out of the 27,353 adults (representative of more than 198 million US adults; mean [SE] age, 46.0 [0.2] years) studied, 6.4% (SE, 0.2%) reported sunless tanning.
• Findings suggested that the factors correlated with sunless tanning included being young, female, non-Hispanic white, college educated, nonobese, sun sensitive, living in the western US, and having a family history of skin cancer.
• Results demonstrated a greater likelihood of sunless tanners to report indoor tanning (adjusted prevalence odds ratio [aPOR], 3.77; 95% CI, 3.19-4.43; P < .001), recent sunburn (aPOR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.31-1.83;P < .001), use of sunscreen (β=0.19; 95% CI, 0.09-0.28;P< .001), and having had a full-body skin exam (aPOR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.51-2.08; P < .001), but less likely to seek shade (β=-0.12; 95% CI, -0.19 to -0.04;P=.001) or use protective clothing when outdoors (long pants: β=-0.18; 95% CI, -0.26 to -0.11;P < .001; long sleeves: β-=-0.10; 95% CI, -0.18 to -0.03;P=.01).
• Among indoor tanners, increased frequency of indoor tanning was reported in sunless tanners vs those who did not sunless tan (mean [SE], 19.2 [1.9] vs 14.9 [1.2] sessions in the past 12 months; P=.04) but no differences in other skin cancer risk behaviors were seen.