Salt Lake City – The Utah
Department of Health recently published an article in the Journal of Skin
Cancer regarding the effectiveness of mandated restrictions on youth tanning
across the state. Passed in 2012, Senate
Bill 41 requires all minors to have parental consent or a physician’s note each
time they visit an indoor tanning salon.
An evaluation of Utah students in
grades 8, 10, and 12 who reported using an indoor tanning device in the year
before the law went into effect and again the year after suggests the
restrictions contributed to a significant reduction in self-reported indoor
tanning. The 2013 rate of 7.7% is a 36 percent drop from the 2011 rate of 12%.
Exposure to ultraviolet radiation,
including that from indoor tanning devices, is known to cause melanoma. Utah’s
2006-2010 melanoma incidence is 61% higher than the national rate, at 31 per
100,000 people and 19.3 per 100,000 people, respectively. Using indoor tanning
devices during the teenage and young adult years significantly increases the
risk of developing melanoma, which is one of the most common types of cancer
among older teens and young adults.
The evaluation also analyzed
characteristics of Utah teens who continued to use indoor tanning devices in
2013 despite the more restrictive regulations. It found that teen girls, older
teens, and teens who use tobacco and alcohol were the most likely to continue
tanning. Data were collected through the Utah Department of Human Services’
2011 and 2013 Prevention Needs Assessment surveys.
While results of the study should
be interpreted with caution due to limitations of the survey data and the
potential effect of other ongoing sun safety campaigns, the findings do suggest
that passage of the more restrictive regulations played a role in significantly
reducing teen tanning in a relatively short period of time. Efforts to enforce
tanning regulations and behavioral risk interventions may further reduce the
numbers of teens who report using indoor tanning devices.
The article may be accessed online
at http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jsc/2014/839601/.
For more information on skin
cancer prevention and education, visit www.ucan.cc.
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Brenda Nelson
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801-538-6189 (o) 435-849-1759 (m)
