A randomized controlled trial of an appearance‐focused intervention to prevent skin cancer

Abstract

BACKGROUND Skin cancer represents a significant health threat with over 1.3 million diagnoses, 8000 melanoma deaths, and more than $1 billion spent annually for skin cancer healthcare in the US. Despite findings from laboratory, case-control, and prospective studies that indicate a link between youthful indoor tanning (IT) and skin cancer, IT is increasing among US youth. Appearance-focused interventions represent a promising method to counteract these trends. METHODS A total of 430 female indoor tanners were randomized into intervention or no intervention control conditions. Intervention participants received an appearance-focused booklet based on decision-theoretical models of health behavior. Outcome variables included self-reports of IT behavior and intentions, as well as measures of cognitive mediating variables. RESULTS Normative increases in springtime IT rates were significantly lower (ie, over 35%) at 6-month follow-up in intervention versus control participants with similar reductions in future intentions. Mediation analyses revealed 6 cognitive variables (IT attitudes, fashion attitudes, perceived susceptibility to skin cancer and skin damage, subjective norms, and image norms) that significantly mediated change in IT behavior. CONCLUSIONS The appearance-focused intervention demonstrated strong effects on IT behavior and intentions in young indoor tanners. Appearance-focused approaches to skin cancer prevention need to present alternative behaviors as well as alter IT attitudes. Mediational results provide guides for strengthening future appearance-focused interventions directed at behaviors that increase risk of skin cancer.

Recall of indoor tanning salon warnings and safety guidelines among a national sample of tanners

“…Data were collected in June (2014), the end of spring in the USA. Spring is generally considered the season with the most frequent IT use [28].…”

Quitting the “Cancer Tube”: a qualitative examination of the process of indoor tanning cessation

“…Interventions to reduce indoor tanning exposure have emphasized prevention or reduction of usage with cessation as an implicit goal [17][18][19][20][21], but little is known about the process by which individuals work towards indoor tanning reduction or cessation, including motivations, facilitators, and barriers to achieving cessation of indoor tanning.…”

Support for indoor tanning policies among young adult women who indoor tan

“…Indoor tanning attitudes-Ten items assessed attitudes toward the positive benefits of indoor tanning by capturing participants' agreement with statements indicating that indoor tanning makes them look healthier, feel confident, look more attractive, look younger, and hides skin flaws and blemishes based and on a 5-point scale (1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree) [20,21]. Example items included "I think I look healthier when I am tan" and "I look more attractive when I have a nice tan."…”