Alaska Nurse Practitioner Practices Regarding Adolescent Indoor Tanning

Abstract

Skin cancer is the most prevalent form of cancer in the United States and melanoma is the second most common form of cancer in adolescents. Indoor tanning increases the risk of skin cancer especially when exposure begins at an early age. A significant percentage of adolescents indoor tan begining at an early age. Guidelines recommend that clinicians address indoor tanning use and avoidance behaviors with adolescents and their guardians. The purpose of this project is to assess Alaska nurse practitioner practices regarding adolescent indoor tanning and to provide nurse practitioners with evidence‐based tools for counseling that are current with clinical recommendations. Alaska nurse practitioners (N = 177) were surveyed on practices regarding adolescent indoor tanning, compliance with current recommendations, barriers preventing assessment and education, and awareness of, and support for, a minor indoor tanning ban in Alaska. Findings show that more than half of respondents do not ask adolescents about indoor tanning use and do not educate adolescents or their guardians regarding the associated risks and that one third of respondents feel that indoor tanning is of low priority. Additionally, nurse practitioners are not utilizing counseling tools sufficiently and are not employing evidence‐based techniques when they do; in regards to supporting legislation for change, the majority of them would support an indoor tanning ban for minors in Alaska.