More Skin, More Sun, More Tan, More Melanoma
Publication Date
2014
Description
Although personal melanoma risk factors are well established, the contribution of socioeconomic factors, including clothing styles, social norms, medical paradigms, perceptions of tanned skin, economic trends, and travel patterns, to melanoma incidence has not been fully explored. We analyzed artwork, advertisements, fashion trends, and data regarding leisure-time activities to estimate historical changes in UV skin exposure. We used data from national cancer registries to compare melanoma incidence rates with estimated skin exposure and found that they rose in parallel. Although firm conclusions about melanoma causation cannot be made in an analysis such as this, we provide a cross-disciplinary, historical framework in which to consider public health and educational measures that may ultimately help reverse melanoma incidence trends.
Journal
American Journal of Public Health
Volume
104
Issue
11
First Page
e92
Last Page
e99
Department
Theatre & Dance
Link to Published Version
DOI
10.2105/AJPH.2014.302185
Recommended Citation
Chang, Caroline; Murzaku, Era Caterina; Penn, Lauren; Abbasi, Naheed R.; Davis, Paula; Berwick, Marianne; and Polsky, David. "More Skin, More Sun, More Tan, More Melanoma." American Journal of Public Health (2014) : e92-e99.