title: Consistency of reported tanning behaviors and sunburn history among sorority and fraternity students.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Reliable measurements of behavior are crucial to evaluating health promotion efforts. The goal of this reliability study was to examine the consistency of recalled tanning behaviors in a population with a potentially high use.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used the test-retest reliability of a self-administered survey to examine the consistency of reporting behavior patterns regarding artificial ultraviolet (UV) tanning, sunburns and sun sensitivity among sorority- and fraternity-affiliated university students.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High reliability on test-retest for questions evaluating the number of artificial UV tanning sessions and the number of sunburns during specific time periods was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, this study suggests that this sub-population of 18-23-year-olds, with a wider range of exposures than other 18-23-year-olds and older subjects, report lifetime artificial UV tanning consistently when required to recall time period-specific exposures before estimating their lifetime exposure.
authors: Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA. leslie-dennis@uiowa.edu
authors: Leslie K
authors: LK
authors: Dennis
authors: Yoonsang
authors: Y
authors: Kim
authors: John B
authors: JB
authors: Lowe
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003358:Cosmetics; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008487:Medical History Taking / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D013334:Students; D013471:Sunburn / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013473:Sunscreening Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D003358:Cosmetics; D013473:Sunscreening Agents