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Theory-Driven Longitudinal Study Exploring Indoor Tanning Initiation in Teens Using a Person-Centered Approach

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Annals of Behavioral Medicine

Abstract

Background

Younger indoor tanning initiation leads to greater melanoma risk due to more frequent and persistent behavior. Despite this, there are no published studies exploring the predictors of indoor tanning initiation in teen populations.

Purpose

This longitudinal study uses latent profile analysis to examine indoor tanning initiation in indoor tanning risk subgroups from a national sample of female adolescents.

Methods

Latent profile analysis used indoor tanning beliefs and perceptions to identify indoor tanning initiation risk subgroups. The teens in each subgroup were reassessed on indoor tanning initiation after a year.

Results

Three subgroups were identified: a low risk, anti-tanning subgroup (18.6 %) characterized by low scores on positive indoor tanning belief scales and high scores on beliefs about indoor tanning dangers; a moderate risk aware social tanner subgroup (47.2 %) characterized by high scores on positive indoor tanning belief scales but also high scores on beliefs about indoor tanning dangers; and a high risk risky relaxation tanner subgroup (34.2 %) characterized by high scores on positive indoor tanning belief scales and low scores on beliefs about indoor tanning dangers. Teens in the aware social tanner and risky relaxation tanner subgroups were significantly more likely to initiate indoor tanning in the following year.

Conclusions

These findings highlight the need to identify teens at risk for indoor tanning initiation and develop tailored interventions that will move them to the lowest risk subgroup. Subgroup correlates suggest parent and peer-based interventions may be successful.

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Acknowledgments

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health under award number 1 R01 CA134891 awarded to Dr. Hillhouse. The authors would like to thank the participants of this study for their willingness to help.

Compliance with Ethical Standards

ᅟ

Author’s Statement of Conflict of Interest and Adherence to Ethical Standards

The authors, Joel Hillhouse, Rob Turrisi, Michael J. Cleveland, Nichole M. Scaglione, Katie Baker, and L. Carter Florence, declare that they have no conflict of interest. All procedures, including the informed consent process, were conducted in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000.

Ethical Approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Funding

This study was funded by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health (grant number: 1 R01 CA134891).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Community & Behavioral Health, College of Public Health, East Tennessee State University, 104 Lamb Hall, Box 70674, Johnson City, TN, 37614, USA

    Joel Hillhouse PhD, Katie Baker DrPH & L. Carter Florence MPH

  2. Edna Bennett Prevention Research Center, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA

    Rob Turrisi PhD, Michael J. Cleveland PhD & Nichole M. Scaglione PhD

Authors
  1. Joel Hillhouse PhD
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  2. Rob Turrisi PhD
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  3. Michael J. Cleveland PhD
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  4. Nichole M. Scaglione PhD
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  5. Katie Baker DrPH
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  6. L. Carter Florence MPH
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Joel Hillhouse PhD.

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Hillhouse, J., Turrisi, R., Cleveland, M.J. et al. Theory-Driven Longitudinal Study Exploring Indoor Tanning Initiation in Teens Using a Person-Centered Approach. ann. behav. med. 50, 48–57 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-015-9731-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-015-9731-2

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