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

Abstract

Indoor tanning (IT) is a known carcinogen, and regulation has increased across the USA. However, there is minimal point-of-sale regulation for adult users. The purpose of the present study is to explore whether IT users recall being provided with warnings or safety guidelines at tanning salons. A national sample of 273 young adult, female IT users (mean age = 22.26, SD = 2.38) was surveyed regarding the frequency that they recalled being provided with six different warnings and safety guidelines when at tanning salons. Between 65 and 90.1 % of participants reported recalling the various warnings and guidelines. Having very fair skin was reported by 16.8 % of participants, and these high-risk individuals were less likely to recall having read and signed a consent form than other IT users (p =.002). The current level of regulation is insufficient to provide IT users with consistent warnings and safety guidelines at tanning salons.