Report on the Sunbed Habits of the Danes 2010

Young people’s knowledge and experience of the risks of sunbed use

Almost all young people know that using sunbeds increases the risk of skin cancer and melanoma. However, one in four sunbed users does not believe that the health risk applies to his or her sunbed use. This can be due to the fact that many young people believe that sunbeds are only harmful when used frequently.

Among non-sunbed users seven out of ten say they do not use sunbeds because of the health risks.

Influence of friends and family

Young people who have friends or family who use sunbeds, are more likely to use sunbeds than young people who do not socialise with other sunbed users. To a large degree, sunbed use is a social activity. Almost two thirds of young sunbeds users state that they go with other people when they use sunbeds.

Mothers’ attitudes towards children and young people’s sunbed use

Almost half of the 40-50 year old mothers (48%) who have children who use sunbeds are against their children using sunbeds. Among mothers of non-sunbed using children, two thirds (66%) state that their child is not allowed to use a sunbed. Three out of four of all 40-50 year old mothers (76%) support a ban on sunbed use for children and young people under 18 years old.

The report shows that sunbed use has fallen among 15-39 year olds in the period between 2006 and 2010. In particular, it has decreased among the youngest respondents. For example, in 2006 half of 15-19 year olds (50%) had used a sunbed in the past 12 months. This figure can be compared with a third (33%) in 2009 and a fifth (18%) in 2010.

Furthermore, the survey shows that the proportion of young people aged 15-19 who have never used a sunbed has risen from 46% in 2009 to 65% in 2010.

The survey shows that in 2010 8% of sunbed users were aged 8-13 when they started using sunbeds, while the largest proportion of sunbed users (47%) started using sunbeds aged 14-19. Young people especially state a low debut age for using sunbeds. 29% of 15-19 year olds responded that they were aged 8-13 the first time they used a sunbed compared with 13% of 30-39 year olds and 6% of 40-49 year olds.

The survey also shows that young people aged 15-19 start using sunbeds later today than they did in 2007. In 2007, 45% of 15-19 year old respondents stated that they were aged 8-13 the first time they used a sunbed compared with 29% in 2010.

Half of respondents aged 15-64 (48%) who had used a sunbed stated that they had on one occasion experienced sunburn from sunbed use and 13% had experienced sunburn on more than one occasion.

The most common reasons for using sunbeds are cosmetic: "Getting a tan" (55%) and "to avoid being pale" (52%). In addition, 37% of the respondents aged 15-64 state that they used a sunbed to get ready for a holiday while 12% used sunbeds as a source of vitamin D. Young people in particular state cosmetic reasons for using a sunbed while older people are more likely to use sunbeds to prepare for a holiday.

Three quarters of parents (75%) state that their oldest child aged under 18 is not allowed to used sunbeds. In particular, parents with children aged under 13 are against their children using sunbeds (89%).

The report shows that parents’ use of sunbeds significantly influences their attitude towards sunbeds and their children’s use of sunbeds. Almost half of the parents who use sunbeds themselves (48%) do not see a problem with their oldest child aged 13-18 using a sunbed. This can be compared with a figure of 15% for parents who had not used sunbeds in the past 12 months. Likewise 39% of sunbed-using parents state that their oldest child aged 13-18 has used a sunbed compared with 10% of parents who had not used a sunbed in the past 12 months.

One third of the survey respondents (33%) state that they had heard or seen the message "Turn off the sunbed – avoid using a sunbed" from the "Turn off the sunbed" campaign. In particular, women (40%) and those aged 15-19 (61%) – the primary target groups for the media campaign – were highly aware of the campaign message. The report also shows that awareness of the message has risen from 13% in 2006 to 18% in 2008 and 33% in 2010.