Indoor Tanning in Europe: Temporal Trends, Sociodemographic Determinants from the Euromelanoma Campaign (2009–2018)

@article{gaeta2026indoor,
  title = {{Indoor Tanning in Europe: Temporal Trends, Sociodemographic Determinants from the Euromelanoma Campaign (2009–2018)}},
  author = {Aurora Gaeta and Mariano Suppa and Hassane Njimi and Nikolay Nikolaevich Potekaev and Alexander J. Stratigos and Alexander Katoulis and Åsa Ingvar and Ada Girnita and Olga Bogomolets and Jean-Luc Bulliard and Olivier Gaide and Juerg Hafner and Judith Oláh and Eszter Baltas and Vladimir Placek and Grażyna Kaminska-Winciorek and Lidija Kandolf and Liliana Medenica and Jana Hercogová and Eduardo Nagore and Thomas Maselis and Osvaldo Correia and Ana Filipa Duarte and Hana Helppikangas and Michael Reusch and Alin Codrut Nicolescu and Ana-Maria Forsea and Mirna Šitum and Matilda Bylaite-Bucinskiene and Lally Mekokishvili and Maia Datuashvili and Ingrid Roscher and Henrik Frank Lorentzen and Ketty Peris and Nahide Onsun and Raimonds Karls and Pille Konno and Zorica Zafirovik and Tanja Planinšek Ručigaj and Ana Benedicic and Michelle Murphy and Angela Hayrapetyan and Michael Hambardzumyan and Lawrence Scerri and Daniel Micallef and Aliaksandr M. Lukyanau and Andreas Pallouras and Konstantinou Paschalis and Boris Nedelciuc and Wiam Al Bouzidi and Sara Gandini and Véronique del Marmol},
  journal = {Cancers},
  year = {2026},
  month = nov,
  doi = {10.3390/cancers18213548},
  url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/18/21/3548},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}

TY  - JOUR
TI  - Indoor Tanning in Europe: Temporal Trends, Sociodemographic Determinants from the Euromelanoma Campaign (2009–2018)
AU  - Aurora Gaeta
AU  - Mariano Suppa
AU  - Hassane Njimi
AU  - Nikolay Nikolaevich Potekaev
AU  - Alexander J. Stratigos
AU  - Alexander Katoulis
AU  - Åsa Ingvar
AU  - Ada Girnita
AU  - Olga Bogomolets
AU  - Jean-Luc Bulliard
AU  - Olivier Gaide
AU  - Juerg Hafner
AU  - Judith Oláh
AU  - Eszter Baltas
AU  - Vladimir Placek
AU  - Grażyna Kaminska-Winciorek
AU  - Lidija Kandolf
AU  - Liliana Medenica
AU  - Jana Hercogová
AU  - Eduardo Nagore
AU  - Thomas Maselis
AU  - Osvaldo Correia
AU  - Ana Filipa Duarte
AU  - Hana Helppikangas
AU  - Michael Reusch
AU  - Alin Codrut Nicolescu
AU  - Ana-Maria Forsea
AU  - Mirna Šitum
AU  - Matilda Bylaite-Bucinskiene
AU  - Lally Mekokishvili
AU  - Maia Datuashvili
AU  - Ingrid Roscher
AU  - Henrik Frank Lorentzen
AU  - Ketty Peris
AU  - Nahide Onsun
AU  - Raimonds Karls
AU  - Pille Konno
AU  - Zorica Zafirovik
AU  - Tanja Planinšek Ručigaj
AU  - Ana Benedicic
AU  - Michelle Murphy
AU  - Angela Hayrapetyan
AU  - Michael Hambardzumyan
AU  - Lawrence Scerri
AU  - Daniel Micallef
AU  - Aliaksandr M. Lukyanau
AU  - Andreas Pallouras
AU  - Konstantinou Paschalis
AU  - Boris Nedelciuc
AU  - Wiam Al Bouzidi
AU  - Sara Gandini
AU  - Véronique del Marmol
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/11/04
JO  - Cancers
DO  - 10.3390/cancers18213548
UR  - https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/18/21/3548
AB  - Background: In 2009, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified UV-emitting tanning devices as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1). This study aimed to describe ten-year trends in sunbed use prevalence across Europe and examine differences by country and sociodemographic and phenotypic characteristics. Methods: Euromelanoma survey data collected between 2009 and 2018 from 33 countries were analysed among individuals voluntarily attending free skin examinations. Annual sunbed use prevalence and 95% confidence intervals were estimated by country, with stratified analyses by gender, age, education level, and skin phototype. Associations with sunbed use were investigated using mixed-effects logistic regression models. Results: A total of 343,675 participants were included. Among Euromelanoma campaign participants, current sunbed use declined over the study period, declining from approximately 12.8% in 2009 to below 6% by 2018, despite year-to-year fluctuations. Women, adults aged 20–35 years and individuals with skin phototypes III–IV exhibited the highest odds of sunbed use (OR Female vs. Male = 3.01, 95%CI [2.91–3.12], OR 20–35 vs. >35 = 2.54, 95%CI [2.47–2.61], and OR Type III–IV vs. Type I–II = 1.52, 95%CI [1.47–1.56], respectively). Marked heterogeneity was observed across countries. Mixed-effects analyses showed a strong temporal decline that was significantly steeper among younger participants, particularly those aged 20–35 years, than among individuals older than 35 years. Conclusions: Indoor tanning prevalence declined across Europe between 2009 and 2018, during a period of evolving post-IARC regulatory and preventive measures. Persistent sociodemographic disparities and substantial between-country heterogeneity highlight the need for targeted, country-specific prevention strategies and continued monitoring of indoor tanning behaviors.
SN  - 2072-6694
ER  -