title: Tanning equipment use: 2014 Canadian Community Health Survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tanning equipment use is related to the early onset of cancer, with the risk increasing as the duration and repetition of exposure increase. In 2009, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified tanning equipment use as carcinogenic to humans, and according to the World Health Organization, the risk of skin melanoma increases significantly when use begins before age 35.
  
  
  METHODS
  The rapid response component of the 2014 Canadian Community Health Survey collected data on the use of tanning equipment in the previous 12 months, including reasons for use, frequency/duration of use, precautions taken, and adverse reactions or injuries. This analysis examines the prevalence of self-reported indoor tanning in a nationally representative sample of Canadians aged 12 or older in the 10 provinces.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 2014, 4.5% of Canadians (an estimated 1.35 million) reported that they had used tanning equipment in the past year; 70.3% of them were female, and just over half of female users were aged 18 to 34. The prevalence of indoor tanning was highest among people with some postsecondary education and among those in higher income households (trend p-value ⟨ 0.0001). Most users reported fewer than 10 sessions in the past year. The most common reason (62.0%) was to develop a "protective" base tan.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Females made up the majority of tanning equipment users, particularly at ages 18 to 34. Efforts to increase awareness of the risks may be beneficial, given the high percentage of users who believed that indoor tanning offers some level of skin protection from future sun exposure.
authors.affiliation: Consumer and Clinical Radiation Protection Bureau, Health Effects and Assessment Division, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.
authors.forename: Sami Q
authors.initials: SQ
authors.lastname: Qutob
authors.affiliation: Consumer and Clinical Radiation Protection Bureau, Health Effects and Assessment Division, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.affiliation: Consumer and Clinical Radiation Protection Bureau, Health Effects and Assessment Division, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.
authors.forename: Katya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Feder
authors.affiliation: Consumer and Clinical Radiation Protection Bureau, Health Effects and Assessment Division, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McNamee
authors.affiliation: Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Population Studies Division, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.
authors.forename: Mireille
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guay
authors.affiliation: Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Population Studies Division, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Than
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002170:Canada; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000517:prevention & control; D015995:Prevalence; D011634:Public Health; D012307:Risk Factors; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control; D013633:Tanning / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects*; D055815:Young Adult; D000096142:Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma
keywords: Eye protection; injury; sunbathing; sunburn; sunlamp; ultraviolet rays; warning labels