title: In-group rationalizations of risk and indoor tanning: A textual analysis of an online forum.
abstract: Unlike other health behaviors, there does not appear to be a strong relationship between perceived skin cancer risk and reduction or cessation of indoor tanning bed use. This study seeks to address this inconsistency by determining how indoor tanning bed users rationalize skin cancer risk with their tanning behavior. Qualitative textual analysis of indoor tanning message board posts (N = 330) revealed varied perceptions of risk, including acknowledging the risk of indoor tanning; denying or downplaying risk, often citing perceived health benefits associated with tanning; blaming outside forces for cancer, such as lotion or genetics; and fatalistic beliefs about cancer. These results highlight the nuanced relationship between perceived skin cancer risk and indoor tanning bed use.
authors.affiliation: University of Miami, USAUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USAUniversity of Miami, USA carcioppolo.nick@gmail.com n.carcioppolo@miami.edu.
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Carcioppolo
authors.affiliation: University of Miami, USA.
authors.forename: Elena V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Chudnovskaya
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martinez Gonzalez
authors.affiliation: University of Miami, USA.
authors.forename: Tyler
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stephan
mesh_terms: D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D011908:Rationalization; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology*; D055108:Sunbathing / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: indoor tanning; message board analysis; risk perceptions; skin cancer