The influence of parents and peers on adolescent indoor tanning behavior: findings from a multi-city sample.
BACKGROUND
Indoor tanning is common among adolescents.


OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to examine the influence of parents and peers on adolescent indoor tanning.


METHODS
Telephone interviews were conducted with 5274 teen-parent pairs in the 100 largest US cities. Random coefficient regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between parental and peer factors and adolescent indoor tanning.


RESULTS
Teens' report of whether their parents allow them to tan indoors was the strongest predictor (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 5.6), whereas parents' modeling (aOR: 1.2), attitudes (aOR: 1.1), and concern about teen tanning (aOR: 1.9) were significantly but less strongly associated. Teens thinking most of their peers like to be tan (aOR: 1.7) and perceived percentage of peers who tan indoors (aOR: 1.0) also were significantly associated.


CONCLUSIONS
The cross-sectional design was a limitation of this study.


CONCLUSIONS
Interventions targeting adolescent indoor tanning should address both family- and peer-related factors.
Hoerster
Katherine D
KD
San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, California, USA. khoerster@projects.sdsu.edu
Mayer
Joni A
JA
Woodruff
Susan I
SI
Malcarne
Vanessa
V
Roesch
Scott C
SC
Clapp
Elizabeth
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001505:Beauty Culture; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000209:etiology; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D010379:Peer Group; D012867:Skin / Q000528:radiation effects*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014481:United States