Indoor Tanning Trends Among US Adults, 2007-2018.

Abstract

<i>Objectives.</i> To examine indoor tanning trends among US adults, and the relation to indoor tanning youth access legislation.<i>Methods.</i> This study analyzed the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS), a mailed survey, from the years 2007, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2017, and 2018 (combined n = 20 2019).<i>Results.</i> Indoor tanning prevalence decreased significantly over time among all US adults from 2007 (10%) to 2018 (4%; <i>P</i> < .001), among young adults aged 18 to 34 years (14% to 4%; <i>P</i> < .001), and among both women (14% to 4%; <i>P</i> < .001) and men (5% to 4%; <i>P</i> < .05). Indoor tanning significantly decreased in states that enacted youth access legislation by 2018, but did not significantly decrease for other states. Frequent indoor tanning was common in 2018; about one quarter of respondents who reported any indoor tanning did so 25 times or more in the past year.<i>Conclusions.</i> This study identifies several challenges in continuing to reduce indoor tanning in the United States. Youth access legislation may be effective for reducing tanning among the broader population of tanners; however, there remains a need for focus on highly frequent tanners, as well as men.