JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

The number of U.S. adults treated annually for melanoma has nearly doubled in the past 20 years and the incidence rate is projected to again double by 2030. Melanoma has become among the most prevalent cancers among young adult women, which is partly attributed to the increased popularity of intentional exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UV) using indoor tanning beds and outdoor tanning. Melanoma prevention efforts have largely focused on preventing uptake and limiting access to tanning beds among minors, creating a need for skin cancer prevention efforts that target frequent tanners at the highest risk for melanoma.

Objective:

To describe our trial of an intervention designed to motivate tanning cessation among young women engaged in frequent UV indoor or outdoor tanning. Intervention content is delivered across 8 weeks using secret groups on the Facebook social media platform.

Methods:

This study is a randomized controlled trial comparing the tanning behaviors of participants who received the intervention to an attention-matched control condition (NCT03441321). Participants are women aged 18-25 who report high-risk tanning (i.e., at least 10 indoor tanning sessions in the past 12 months or 10 outdoor sessions in the prior summer). Participants completed a baseline survey, were randomly assigned to condition, and participated in the assigned condition. Both the intervention and control conditions were 8 week-long Facebook groups (approximately 25 members each) with daily posting of intervention content. Follow-up surveys are administered at 3-, 8-, and 18-months post-baseline. The primary trial outcome is combined number of indoor and outdoor tanning sessions reported at the 8-month follow-up. Hypothesized intervention mediators are assessed at the 3-month follow-up.

Results:

This project was funded by an NCI award (R01 CA218068) and the trial procedures were approved by the University of Kentucky’s Institutional Review Board in February 2020. Trial recruitment and enrollment occurred in 6 waves of data collection which started in February 2022 and closed in May 2023. The study is closed to enrollment but remains open for follow-ups. This protocol report was prepared prior to data analyses. As of February 2024, all participants have completed the 8-month follow-up assessment and data collection is scheduled to close by the end of 2024 after the collection of the 18-month follow-up.

Conclusions:

The intervention addresses a gap in the skin cancer prevention literature by testing an intervention targeted at young women engaged in frequent indoor or outdoor tanning. Our intervention builds from and meaningfully extends existing skin cancer interventions and incorporates innovative elements in its content and delivery including translating acceptance-based principles. The use of Facebook groups allows group-based interactions among participants, which can facilitate stronger changes in attitudes and behaviors and provides a platform to embed the intervention into individuals’ everyday routines. Clinical Trial: Registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03441321).