title: Parental Use and Educational Campaigns on Sunbed Use Among Teenagers and Adolescents.
abstract: This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of sunbed use among teenagers and the association between familial behavior and the adoption of UV-protective practices in this age group. We also assessed the impact of an educational program on students' knowledge about the potential risks of sunbed use. The educational intervention focused on: (i) skin effects of UV radiation, (ii) photoaging and photocarcinogenesis, (iii) risk factors for skin cancer, (iv) indoor sun tanning and misleading concepts such as possible protective effect of sunbed use on skin cancer risk, (v) sun protection and relation with skin phototype, and (vi) early diagnosis of melanoma using the ABCDE check list and the ugly duckling sign. We carried out a survey of 3098 students and found a strong association between parental sunbed use and students' use of the same (P < 0.0001). Students who attended the educational intervention were more aware that sunbed use cannot prevent sunburns (P = 0.03) than those who did not attend, making adjustments for confounding variables. However, sunbed use by parents influenced the desire to use a sunbed more than participation in the educational intervention (P < 0.0001). In conclusion, although our results indicate that educational interventions can improve knowledge of the risk of sunbed use. They also reveal a strong correlation between sunbed use by teenagers and parental behavior that highlights the importance of educational interventions involving families.
authors.affiliation: From the Skin Cancer Unit (IS, SM, LM, MM), Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Meldola; Centro Studi Gruppo Italiano Studi Epidemiologici in Dermatologia-Fondazione per la Ricerca (LN), Ospedale Maggiore Presidio Ospedaliero Matteo Rota, Bergamo; Romagna Cancer Registry (FF), Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Meldola; Istituto Oncologico Romagnolo (RB, LN) (IOR), Forli; Dermatology Unit (OC), Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale della Romagna, Ravenna; Centro Studi Avanzati sull'Umanizzazione delle Cure e sulla Salute sociale (Ce.Um.S.) (VA), Sociology Department, University of Bologna; Unit of Cancer Genetics (GP), Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, National Research Council (CNR), Sassari; Clinica dermatologica (SDN, CP), University of Parma; and Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (SG), European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Ignazio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Stanganelli
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Naldi
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Falcini
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Magi
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mazzoni
authors.forename: Matelda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Medri
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bertoncini
authors.forename: Ombretta
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Calderoni
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Agnoletti
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nadiani
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Palmieri
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Di Nuzzo
authors.forename: Calogero
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pagliarello
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gandini
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D055108:Sunbathing / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult