title: Risky sun tanning behaviours amongst Irish University students: a quantitative analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite Ireland's temperate maritime climate, it has the third highest rate of malignant melanoma in the European Union, indicating the need to recognise tanning practices as a risky behaviour, especially amongst those most at risk (the younger population).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To explore the factors associated with deliberate sun tanning amongst university students in Cork, Ireland.
  
  
  METHODS
  Self-reported sun exposure, attitudes to tanning and sun protection practices were investigated using an online questionnaire in April 2010.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 833 responses (8.33 %), mean age 22 years, 75 % female. Reporting deliberate tanning in the previous summer (n = 389, 46.7 %) was positively correlated (r = 0.622, p < 0.001) with stating an intention to tan next summer (n = 532, 63.9 %). Women and respondents with darker (vs. fairer) complexion were more likely to engage in deliberate tanning (p < 0.001). Deliberate tanning was associated with reporting enjoying tanning (p < 0.001), with reporting peer pressure into tanning (p = 0.039), and (marginally) with thinking it is worth getting burnt to get a tan (p = 0.068). Younger students were significantly more likely to report these attitudes; being a current smoker was associated with reporting peer pressure and that burning is worth a tan, indicating a level of risk-taking. Respondents reported (average) three sources of information on sun risks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tanning is a form of strongly motivated risk-taking as much in a sun-limited country like Ireland as in hotter sun-rich climates. Risk communication strategies on sun exposure should be developed that target young people and improve their risk awareness.
authors.affiliation: Health Behavioural Change Research Group, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland. cflannery@ucc.ie.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Flannery
authors.affiliation: Department of Economics, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: L-A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Burke
authors.affiliation: School of Economics, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Grainger
authors.affiliation: School of Economics, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.|Department of Mathematics, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: School of Economics, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gage
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology*; D013334:Students; D055108:Sunbathing; D013471:Sunburn / Q000150:complications*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Ireland; Risky behaviour; Skin cancer; Sun exposure; Tanning; University students