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

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.

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Journal
Cancers
Published
2026-11-04
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers18213548
Primary Topic
Skin Protection and Aging
Type
article
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article

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

Ana Benedičič, Lally Mekokishvili, Nahide Onsun, Henrik Frank Lorentzen et al.
Cancers
Skin Protection and Aging
article

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

Ana Benedičič, Lally Mekokishvili, Nahide Onsun, Henrik Frank Lorentzen, Sara Gandini, Hana Helppikangas, Zorica Zafirovik, Alexander Katoulis, Ingrid Roscher, Jana Tresnak Hercogova, Jean‐Luc Bulliard, Alexander J. Stratigos, Ana Filipa Duarte, Daniel Micallef, Eszter Baltás, Raimonds Karls, Åsa Ingvar, T. Maselis, Ada Girnita, Grażyna Kamińska‐Winciorek, Mirna Šitum, Eduardo Nagore, Nedelciuc Boris, V. del Mármol, Lidija Kandolf Sekulović, Jürg Hafner, Matilda Bylaitė-Bučinskienė, Olivier Gaide, Michelle Murphy, Alin Codruț Nicolescu, Michael Hambardzumyan, Aurora Gaeta, Ana‐Maria Forsea, Pille Konno, Wiam Al Bouzidi, Ketty Peris, Hassane Njimi, Lawrence Scerri, Michael Reusch, Osvaldo Correia, Judit Oláh, Mariano Suppa, Angela Hayrapetyan, Konstantinou Paschalis, Tanja Planinšek Ručigaj, Vladimir Placek, Andreas Pallouras, Nikolay Nikolaevich Potekaev, Aliaksandr M. Lukyanau, Olga Bogomolets, Maia Datuashvili, Liliana Medenica
article en

Abstract

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.

CancersVol. 18(21)
Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (IT), University of Sarajevo (BA), Oslo University Hospital (NO), Military Medical Academy (RS), Université Libre de Bruxelles (BE), Karolinska University Hospital (SE), Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy (RO), Vilnius University (LT), Universidade do Porto (PT), Lund University (SE), National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (GR), University of Szeged (HU), Mater Dei Hospital (MT), Ljubljana University Medical Centre (SI), Institut Jules Bordet (BE), Erasmus Hospital (BE), Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CH), Aarhus University Hospital (DK), Agostino Gemelli University Polyclinic (IT), Bezmiâlem Vakıf Üniversitesi (TR), University of Belgrade (RS), Caucasus International University (GE), East Tallinn Central Hospital (EE), South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital (IE), Belarusian Medical Academy of Post-Graduate Education (BY), University Hospital of Zurich (CH), Fundación Instituto Valenciano de Oncología (ES), CUF Porto Hospital (PT), Andreas Sygros Hospital (GR), Sisters of Charity Hospital (HR), Nicolae Testemițanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy (MD), University Clinical Centre Maribor (SI), Skåne University Hospital (SE), Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy (GE), University General Hospital Attikon (GR), Centre universitaire de médecine générale et santé publique, Lausanne (CH), The Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology (PL), Dermatologikum Hamburg (DE), Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IT), University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn (PL), European Institute of Oncology (IT), University of Milano-Bicocca (IT), Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje (MK), University of Lausanne (CH)
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Skin Protection and Aging
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