Kids ignoring sunscreen warning, survey shows

Published 9:00 pm Sunday, June 2, 2002

Associated Press

CHICAGO — Sun-worshipping kids are still seeking tans — and not using sunscreen — despite warnings about the dangers of skin cancer, a survey of preteens and adolescents found.

Only a third of the 10,079 kids surveyed said they routinely used sunscreen during the previous summer, and nearly 10 percent said they had used a tanning bed. Most reported having at least one sunburn during the previous summer, and half with multiple sunburns said it was worth it to get the tan that followed.

Research has shown that severe sunburns in childhood can significantly increase the risk later in life of developing melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer; while the use of tanning beds has been linked to other skin cancers.

Studies have suggested that using sunscreen in childhood could reduce the risk of developing skin cancers other than melanoma in adulthood by as much as 78 percent, the researchers said.

More than 1 million Americans are diagnosed each year with skin cancer, and excess sun exposure is the leading cause. With rates rising nationwide, public health messages from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Cancer Society have urged sun-protection measures for all ages, including using sunscreen and avoiding tanning beds.

However, the warnings appear to have had minimal effect on those age 12 to 18, according to the study led by Boston University researcher Alan Geller. Results appear in the June issue of Pediatrics.

While girls were much more likely than boys to report sunscreen use — 40 percent versus 26 percent, they also were more likely to have been sunburned at least three times. Girls also were far more likely to have used a tanning salon or tanning bed, 14 percent versus 2 percent for boys.

Geller said a stronger national effort is needed, akin to anti-smoking campaigns that have been credited with helping to reduce teen smoking.

To reduce the risk of skin cancer caused by the sun, the American Cancer Society recommends that you: