title: Community variation in adolescent access to indoor tanning facilities.
abstract: Melanoma rates among younger women in New Hampshire (NH) are rising. In urban studies, youth proximity to tanning facilities has been linked to indoor tanning, a proven cause of melanoma. Youth access has not been examined in rural settings. To determine on a statewide basis the influence of rurality and community income level on female students' ease of access to tanning facilities, all NH tanning facilities (N = 261) and high schools (N = 77) in 2011 were spatially and statistically analyzed to determine schools with more facilities within 2 miles of the school and greater capacity (fewer female students per facility), for indoor tanning. Schools above the state-wide average for both measures were classified as "Easy Access" to indoor tanning. Among NH high schools, 74 % have 1 or more tanning facility within two miles and 22 % have "Easy Access" to tanning facilities. Ease of access did not differ by rurality. Lower-income school status was an independent predictor of both greater capacity and "Easy Access". While urban and rural teens have similar access to indoor tanning, female students in lower-income communities have easier access. Variations in access by community size and income must be considered in planning interventions to address youth indoor tanning.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA.
authors.forename: Ardis L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Olson
authors.forename: Heather A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Carlos
authors.forename: Rachel A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Sarnoff
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001505:Beauty Culture; D003132:Commerce; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009513:New Hampshire; D011365:Professional Practice Location; D012424:Rural Population; D012923:Social Class; D055108:Sunbathing; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects