Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
Volume 57, Issue 6 , Pages 990-997, December 2007

The influence of parents and peers on adolescent indoor tanning behavior: Findings from a multi-city sample

  • Katherine D. Hoerster, BA

      Affiliations

    • San Diego State University (SDSU)/University of California, San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, California
    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests: Katherine D. Hoerster, BA, 9245 Sky Park Court, Suite 220, San Diego, CA 92123.
    • ,
  • Joni A. Mayer, PhD

      Affiliations

    • SDSU Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego, California
    • ,
  • Susan I. Woodruff, PhD

      Affiliations

    • SDSU Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego, California
    • ,
  • Vanessa Malcarne, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Psychology, SDSU, San Diego, California
    • ,
  • Scott C. Roesch, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Psychology, SDSU, San Diego, California
    • ,
  • Elizabeth Clapp, MPH

      Affiliations

    • SDSU Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego, California

Accepted 17 June 2007. published online 24 July 2007.

Background

Indoor tanning is common among adolescents.

Objective

Our purpose was to examine the influence of parents and peers on adolescent indoor tanning.

Methods

Telephone interviews were conducted with 5274 teen-parent pairs in the 100 largest US cities. Random coefficient regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between parental and peer factors and adolescent indoor tanning.

Results

Teens' report of whether their parents allow them to tan indoors was the strongest predictor (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 5.6), whereas parents' modeling (aOR: 1.2), attitudes (aOR: 1.1), and concern about teen tanning (aOR: 1.9) were significantly but less strongly associated. Teens thinking most of their peers like to be tan (aOR: 1.7) and perceived percentage of peers who tan indoors (aOR: 1.0) also were significantly associated.

Limitations

The cross-sectional design was a limitation of this study.

Conclusion

Interventions targeting adolescent indoor tanning should address both family- and peer-related factors.

 

 Funding sources: National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, grants R01CA93532 and K05CA10051.

 Conflicts of interest: None declared.

PII: S0190-9622(07)01025-0

doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2007.06.007

Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
Volume 57, Issue 6 , Pages 990-997, December 2007