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In 2015, 35.3% of adults aged 18 years and older who were sunburned in the past year.
Introduction
Sunburn, also known as erythema, is caused by excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVB), which results in an acute cutaneous inflammatory response. Sunburn can result from exposure to outdoor sunlight or UV radiation from indoor tanning beds. Sunburn symptoms include redness, warmth, tenderness, and edema. Previous sun burning is a strong predictor of future skin cancer, especially sunburns that occur at younger ages. This report will continue to include this relatively new measure and any changes over time.
Measure
The percentage of high school students (grades 9-12) who reported having been sunburned in the past 12 months.
The percentage of adults aged 18 years and older who reported having been sunburned in the past 12 months.
Healthy People 2020 Target
- (Developmental) Reduce the proportion of adolescents in grades 9 through 12 who report sunburn.
- Reduce to 33.8 percent the proportion of adults aged 18 years and older who report at least one sunburn in the past 12 months.
Healthy People 2020 is a set of goals set forth by the Department of Health and Human Services.
Note: Goals are indicated as blue line on Detailed Trend Graphs.
Data Source
Adolescents: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS), 2015.
Adults: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. National Health Interview Survey NCI and CDC co-sponsored Cancer Control Supplement, 2000-2010, 2010-2015.
Trends and Most Recent Estimates
Adolescents
By Sex
| Overview graph | Sex | Had a sunburn in past year | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percent of adolescents | 95% Confidence Interval | ||
|
Both Sexes | 55.8 | (51.2 - 60.3) |
| Male | 52.0 | (48.0 - 56.0) | |
| Female | 59.8 | (54.1 - 65.2) | |
By Race/Ethnicity
| Overview graph | Race | Had a sunburn in past year | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percent of adolescents | 95% Confidence Interval | ||
|
All Races | 55.8 | (51.2 - 60.3) |
| Non-Hispanic White | 72.5 | (68.3 - 76.4) | |
| Non-Hispanic Black | 15.0 | (12.1 - 18.4) | |
| Hispanic | 40.8 | (37.4 - 44.4) | |
By High School Grade
| Overview graph | Race | Had a sunburn in past year | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percent of adolescents | 95% Confidence Interval | ||
|
Grade 9 | 55.0 | (49.8 - 60.0) |
| Grade 10 | 55.9 | (50.0 - 61.7) | |
| Grade 11 | 56.4 | (52.1 - 60.6) | |
| Grade 12 | 55.8 | (50.5 - 61.0) | |
Adults
By Sex
| Overview Graph | Detailed Trend Graphs | Most Recent Estimates (2015) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percent of adults | 95% Confidence Interval | ||
|
Both Sexes
|
35.3 | (34.4 - 36.2) |
Male
|
35.5 | (34.2 - 36.7) | |
Female
|
35.2 | (34.1 - 36.3) | |
By Race/Ethnicity
| Overview Graph | Detailed Trend Graphs | Most Recent Estimates (2015) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percent of adults | 95% Confidence Interval | ||
|
All Races
|
35.3 | (34.4 - 36.2) |
Non-Hispanic White
|
46.3 | (45.1 - 47.5) | |
Non-Hispanic Black
|
9.9 | (8.7 - 11.0) | |
Hispanic
|
22.4 | (20.8 - 24.0) | |
By Age
| Overview Graph | Detailed Trend Graphs | Most Recent Estimates (2015) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percent of adults | 95% Confidence Interval | ||
|
Ages 18-24
|
46.0 | (43.1 - 48.9) |
Ages 25+
|
33.7 | (32.8 - 34.5) | |
By Sex and Age
| Overview Graph | Detailed Trend Graphs | Most Recent Estimates (2015) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percent of adults | 95% Confidence Interval | ||
|
Males, Ages 18-24
|
43.6 | (39.7 - 47.4) |
Males, Ages 25+
|
34.3 | (33.0 - 35.5) | |
Females, Ages 18-24
|
48.4 | (44.2 - 52.7) | |
Females, Ages 25+
|
33.2 | (32.1 - 34.2) | |
By Poverty Income Level
| Overview Graph | Detailed Trend Graphs | Most Recent Estimates (2015) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percent of adults | 95% Confidence Interval | ||
|
<200% of federal poverty level
|
26.7 | (25.4 - 28.1) |
>=200% of federal poverty level
|
39.2 | (38.2 - 40.3) | |
By Education Level
| Overview Graph | Detailed Trend Graphs | Most Recent Estimates (2015) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percent of adults | 95% Confidence Interval | ||
|
Less than High School
|
19.7 | (18.0 - 21.5) |
High School
|
30.8 | (29.1 - 32.4) | |
Greater than High School
|
37.2 | (36.3 - 38.2) | |
Evidence-based Resources
Resources are available on sun-protective behaviors that are effective at lowering risk of skin cancer. Visit the sun safety on Cancer Control P.L.A.N.E.T. web portal. Multicomponent community-wide interventions are recommended to prevent skin cancer as well as education and policy approaches.
Additional Information on Sunburn
For the public
- Skin Cancer. American Cancer Society.
- Skin Cancer. National Cancer Institute.
- Indoor Tanning Restrictions for Minors – A State-by-State Comparison (May 2017). National Conference of State Legislatures.
- National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention.
- Sunscreen drug products for over-the-counter human use, 2011. U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
- Sunburn protection factor (SPF). U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
For health professionals
- Vitamin D and Calcium: A Systematic Review of Health Outcomes (Update). AHRQ Publication No. 14-E004-EF September 2014. Evidence Report/Technology Assessment Number 217.
- Preventing skin cancer: multicomponent community-wide interventions (abbreviated). Community Preventive Services Task Force.
- Indoor Tanning Association settles FTC charge that it deceived customers about skin cancer risks from tanning. Federal Trade Commission.
- Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D (2010). Institute of Medicine.
- Melanoma Treatment (PDQ®). National Cancer Institute.
- Skin Cancer Treatment (PDQ®). National Cancer Institute.
- Stratosphere: UV index. National Weather Service: Climate Prediction Center.
- Sun Safety. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
- • Sunscreen: How to Help Protect Your Skin From the Sun. U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
- Sunlamp products and ultraviolet lamps intended for use in sunlamp products. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Title 21. Food and drugs. CFR 1040.20. Fed Regist. 2013.
- Sunlamps and Sunlamp Products (Tanning Beds/Booths). U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
- General and plastic surgery devices: reclassification of ultraviolet lamps for tanning, henceforth to be known as sunlamp products and ultraviolet lamps intended for use in sunlamp products. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Rule. Fed Regist. 2014;79:31205-31214.
- Skin Cancer: Counseling. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
Scientific reports
- Surgeon General Call to Action to Prevent Skin Cancer, 2014.
- FDA Indoor tanning: The risks of ultraviolet rays.
- Buying indoor tanning with university debit cards. Boyers L, Karimkhani C, Crane LA, Asdigian N, Hollonds A, Dellavalle RP. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2014;71(1):199-201.
- VITamin D and OmegA-3 TriaL (VITAL Study). Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
- Prevalence of sunburn, sun protection, and indoor tanning behaviors among Americans: review from national surveys and case studies of 3 states. Buller DB, Cokkinides V, Hall HI, et al. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2011;65(5):S114–S123.
- User-centered development of a smart phone mobile application delivering personalized real-time advice on sun protection. Buller DB, Berwick M, Shane J, Kane I, Lantz K, Buller MK. Transl Behav Med. 2013;3(3):326-334.
- Sunburn and sun protective behaviors among adults aged 18–29 Years – United States, 2000–2010. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. MMWR 2012;61(18);317–322.
- Use of indoor tanning devices by adults – United States, 2010. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. MMWR 2012;61(18);323–326.
- Reduced melanoma after regular sunscreen use: randomized trial follow-up. Green A, Williams GM, Logan V, and Strutton GM. J Clin Oncol. 2011;29(3):257–263.
- State indoor tanning laws and adolescent indoor tanning. Guy GP, Berkowitz Z, Jones SE, et al. Am J Public Health. 2014;104(4):e69-e74.
- The association between demographic and behavioral characteristics and sunburn among U.S. Adults – National Health Interview Survey, 2010. Holman DM, Berkowitz Z, Guy GP, Hartman AM, Perna FM. Prev Med. 2014;63:6-12.
- Correlates of intentional tanning among adolescents in the United States: a systematic review of the literature. Holman DM, Watson M. J Adolesc Health. 2013;52(5 suppl):S52-S59.
- History and culture of tanning in the United States. Hunt Y, Auguston E, Rutten L, Moser R. In: Heckman CJ, Manne EL, eds. Shedding Light on Indoor Tanning. New York, NY: Springer; 2012:5-30.
- Solar and ultraviolet radiation. International Agency for Research on Cancer. IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans 2012;100D:36–102.
- Indoor tanning and risk of melanoma: a case-control study in a highly exposed population. Lazovich D, Vogel R, Berwick M, et al. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2010;19(6):1557–68.
- Adverse effects of ultraviolet radiation from the use of indoor tanning equipment: time to ban the tan. Lim HW, James WD, Rigel DS, et al. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2011;64(4):e51–60.
- Behavioral counseling to prevent skin cancer: a systematic review for the U.S. Preventive Service Task Force. Lin JS, Eder M, Weinmann S. Ann Intern Med. 2011;154:190–201.
- Adolescents’ use of indoor tanning: a large-scale evaluation of psychosocial, environmental, and policy- level correlates. Mayer JA, Woodruff SI, Slymen DJ, et al. Am J Public Health. 2011;101(5):930-938.
- Behavioral counseling to prevent skin cancer: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. Moyer VA, U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Ann Intern Med. 2012;157(1):59-65.
- Reducing environmental cancer risk: what we can do now. National Cancer Institute. 2008–2009 Annual Report of the President’s Cancer Panel.
- Subsequent primary malignancies in patients with nonmelanoma skin cancer in England: a national record-linkage study. Ong EL, Goldacre R, Hoang U, Sinclair R, Goldacre M. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2014;23(3):490-498.
- Increasing incidence of melanoma among young adults: an epidemiological study in Olmsted County, Minnesota. Reed KB, Brewer JD, Lohse CM, et al. Mayo Clin Proc. 2012;87(4):328–334.
- Implications of lessons learned from tobacco control for tanning bed reform. Sinclair C, Makin JK. Prev Chronic Dis. 2013;10:e28.
Statistics
- SEER Cancer Statistics Review. National Cancer Institute.
Year Range
2000-2015
Recent Summary Trend Year Range
2010-2015
Summary Tables
Sun Protection
Recent Summary Trend
Falling
Desired Direction
Falling