SUNBED USER

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SUNBED USERS MOTIVATIONS, KNOWLEDGE AND HABITS
IN BUDAPEST, HUNGARYJózsef Bakos, Judit Szabó,
György ThuróczyDepartment of Non-ionizing
Radiations, National "Frédéric Joliot-Curie
Research Institute for Radiobiology and
Radiohygiene, H-1221. Budapest, Anna u. 5.,
Hungary.
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Actuality of the topic

• Recently issued international documents
• WHO Recommendation, 17 March 2005
• EU Commission Opinion (2004/C275/03)
• Nordic advice, March 2005

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WHO Recommendation17 March 2005
The World Health Organization recommends that no
person under 18 should use a sunbed. Growth in
the use of sun beds, combined with the desire and
fashion to have a tan, are considered to be the
prime reasons behind the fast increase of skin
cancers. WHO counsels, that sun bed use should
be considered only in very rare and specific
cases.
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EU COMMISSION OPINIONof 27 October
2004(2004/C275/03)
The current version of EN standard
60335-2-271997 does not adequately address the
risks related to exposure to UV radiation because
it does not provide specific limit values of
effective irradiance levels needed for different
tanning devices. The European standards body
CENELEC has been requested by the European
Commission to revise this standard to ensure that
the above mentioned risks are adequately
addressed. Member States' Authorities shall take
account of this opinion in the context of market
surveillance.
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UV-Radiation of Sun bedsCommon public health
advice from Nordic radiation protection and
health authorities March 2005
Since the exposure to UV-radiation in general
should be restricted, the use of sun beds for
tanning or other non-medical purposes is not
advisable. Young persons below 18 years and UV
sensitive people (skin type I II) are strongly
advised not to use sun beds.
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Background and indication of the study

• Trends can be observed world-wide in the
  population
• the incidence of skin cancers is steadily
  increasing
• increase of natural UVB exposure and
• increased use of artificial UV sources (sun beds)
  
• Lack of regulation(EU and national)

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Aim of the study

• To gain information about sun bed users
• motivations of sun bed use
• habit of excessive use of sun bed
• knowledge of UV risk.
• On the base of the collected data, to be able to
  give advice to authorities to achieve
• more UV risk awareness of the public by better
  education, and by this way
• the reduction of intended, excessive UV exposure
  of public.

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Methods

• Participants were recruited in 10 tanning salons
  in Budapest between 24/03/2004 and 31/05/2005.
• Sun bed users were asked to complete a
  questionnaire containing 59 questions
• 780 questionnaires were completed
• The data were stored on computer and
  statistically analyzed.

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Results
In the last year 9,5 of the adult population
(gt18 years) have used sun bed. It represents
above 800 000 people in Hungary (above 200 000
people in Budapest). Gender 63,3 woman 36,7
man Education gt 65 finished high school gt 27
graduated. 50 started to use sun bed under 19
years of age. Skin type gt 22 belongs to
Fitzpatrick skin type I. - II. (tans poorly,
burns easily)).
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73 of sun bed users are under 30 years of age
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Habits

• 86 was regular user (gt 9 years of use in
  average)
• 76 used sun bed more than 30 times per year
• average exposure time was 11 minutes
• 74 never used protective goggles
• 48 rarely, 6 frequently burn from sun bed

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Motivations of sun bed use
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KNOWLEDGE
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(No Transcript)
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Knowledge ltgt risk perception

• Although sun bed users
• 85 is informed about health effects
• 85 know that skin is aged by UV
• 61 know that UV exposure and
• 50 know that sun bed use increases the risk of
  skin cancer,
• only 4 - 8 understand that sun bed use is
  dangerous for health!

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ConclusionsNeeds to be done

• Improvement of education mainly in schools and at
  clinics
• To draw public attention on to the long term
  health effects.
• To fight against the fashion of tanned skin
• To introduce regulation on sun bed salons
  operation

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Use sun bed ! You were You might be