P131 Sunbeds: what do Irish patients know?

Abstract Dermatologists are familiar with the harmful effects of sunbed use, but how aware are patients? The National Skin Cancer Prevention Plan 2023–2026 recommends that the Irish population never use a sunbed. Furthermore, legislation was put in place in 2014 to prevent the use of sunbeds by minors. However, do patients’ attitudes and behaviours reflect recent public health initiatives? The aims of this study were to establish current and past patient use of sunbeds in Ireland, and to assess patients’ attitudes towards sunbed use and understanding of its potential side-effects. The authors carried out a survey of general dermatology patients attending the outpatient clinic in a tertiary referral centre between February 2024 and March 2024. In total, 43 patients were surveyed with a variety of skin conditions ranging from inflammatory dermatoses to potential skin cancers. Each survey comprised 13 questions. Of the 559 total questions, 547 questions were answered. As this was an anonymous survey, no demographic details were collected. One question asked patients whether they were members of an ethnic community. One patient was a member of the Irish traveller community and one patient was of African ethnicity. Of the total group surveyed, 67% of patients reported some degree of knowledge about skin cancer, and 84% of patients were familiar with the term melanoma. No patients currently used sunbeds, and 46.5% of patients had used sunbeds in the past. Of these, 35% reported using sunbeds before the age of 18 years. In terms of frequency, 60% had used sunbeds fewer than 20 times, 15% had used sunbeds fewer than 50 times, 15% had used sunbeds up to 100 times, and 10% had used sunbeds more than 100 times. No patients had a sunbed at home, and 25% of patients reported using tanning salons. Overall, 18% of patients commented on their reason for using sunbeds, varying from a desire to achieve a tanned appearance to self-treating skin conditions and acne. In total, 87% of patients who never used sunbeds thought sunbeds cause harm, compared with 80% patients who used sunbeds. Also, 80% of patients who used sunbeds were aware that sunbeds cause skin ageing and 100% knew sunbed use is associated with skin cancer. While none of the patients currently use sunbeds, there is a significant proportion of patients who used them in the past and under the age of 18 years. Most people who used sunbeds did so for lower amounts of time (fewer than 20 sessions) and in salons. In terms of awareness, patients in this snapshot review appear to be cognizant that sunbeds cause harm, skin ageing and skin cancer.