Mannheim Institute of Public Health, Social and Preventive Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
Br J Dermatol. 2013 Aug;169(2):441-9. doi: 10.1111/bjd.12390.
Sunbed use is considered carcinogenic in humans. Studies that examine behavioural patterns related to sunbed use over time are needed for developing skin cancer prevention strategies.
To explore age-related trends in the initiation age, to investigate individual histories of sunbed use and to identify characteristics associated with cessation.
We analysed cross-sectional data of 4851 sunbed users and nonusers from a representative sample of Germans, aged 14-45 years, interviewed in 2011/2012. Biographical data were reconstructed based on reported tanning frequency/duration and changes in sunbed use over time. We used survival analysis to model the initiation age and created birth cohorts to assess age-related trends. Characteristics associated with sunbed use cessation were identified using logistic regression.
Among sunbed users, median sunbed exposure was 180 min per year. Annual exposure remained constant in 85·6% of this subgroup with no changes over time during periods of sunbed use. Age at initiation decreased significantly across birth cohorts from 25 to 19 years (25th percentile; cohorts 1966-75 to 1986-93). Characteristics associated with sunbed use cessation included educational level [odds ratios (OR) 1·53 and 1·71 for medium and high education, respectively], greater awareness of skin cancer risk (OR 2·41) and immigrant background (OR 0·54; all P < 0·01).
Initiation of sunbed use at an increasingly younger age suggests the need for interventions targeted at young adults. Approaches that increase general skin cancer risk awareness and that are sensitive to participants' educational level and immigrant background may also be helpful.
日光浴床的使用被认为对人类具有致癌性。为了制定皮肤癌预防策略，需要研究与日光浴床使用相关的行为模式随时间的变化。
探讨与年龄相关的起始年龄趋势，调查日光浴床使用的个人历史，并确定与停止使用相关的特征。
我们分析了来自德国代表性样本的 4851 名日光浴床使用者和非使用者的横断面数据，这些人年龄在 14-45 岁之间，于 2011/2012 年接受了采访。基于报告的晒黑频率/持续时间和日光浴床使用随时间的变化，重建了传记数据。我们使用生存分析来模拟起始年龄，并创建出生队列来评估与年龄相关的趋势。使用逻辑回归确定与日光浴床使用停止相关的特征。
在日光浴床使用者中，日光浴床暴露的中位数为每年 180 分钟。在没有日光浴床使用变化的情况下，该亚组中 85.6%的人每年的暴露量保持不变。起始年龄随出生队列显著降低，从 25 岁降至 19 岁（25 百分位数；1966-75 年至 1986-93 年出生队列）。与停止日光浴床使用相关的特征包括教育程度[中等教育和高等教育的比值比（OR）分别为 1.53 和 1.71]、对皮肤癌风险的认识更高（OR 2.41）和移民背景（OR 0.54；均 P < 0.01）。
日光浴床使用起始年龄越来越年轻，表明需要针对年轻人进行干预。增加对一般皮肤癌风险的认识，并对参与者的教育程度和移民背景敏感的方法可能也会有所帮助。
