title: Sunbathing habits and sunscreen use among white adults: results of a national survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study assessed current levels of sunbathing and sunscreen use in the United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  From a general-population telephone survey of aquatic activities among adults in 3042 US households, we examined responses by the 2459 Whites.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most adults (59%) reported sunbathing during the past year, and 25% reported frequent sunbathing. Of the subsample who reported sunbathing during the month before the interview, 47% routinely used sunscreen. Of these individuals, almost half did not use sunscreens with a solar protection factor of 15 or higher.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  About a quarter of US White adults report frequent sunbathing, and only about a quarter of sunbathers use sunscreens at recommended levels. These results should help focus future sun protection educational efforts.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Prevention and Control Center, Boston University School of Medicine, MA 02118, USA.
authors.forename: H K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Bak
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Geller
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Mangione
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Hingson
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Levenson
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Lew
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Howland
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D013472:Sunlight; D013473:Sunscreening Agents; D014481:United States; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D013473:Sunscreening Agents