Analyses of the results of a survey of Colorado high school students suggest there may be a potential association between substance use and indoor tanning, according to an article published online by JAMA Dermatology. The research letter by Robert P. Dellavalle, M.D., Ph.D., M.S.P.H., of the University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, and coauthors suggests any lifetime use of steroids was most strongly associated with indoor tanning, especially among adolescent boys.

Alcohol consumption in the past 30 days, marijuana use and lifetime use of select illicit drugs also were associated with indoor tanning, according to the results. "Identifying risky health behavior patterns may facilitate preventive health efforts to reduce indoor tanning among adolescents," the article concludes.

Study: Associations Between Indoor Tanning and Substance Use Among Colorado High School Students, Myra A. Sendelweck ME, Eric Bell MPH, Amy Marie Anderson MPH, Kurt Ashack BA, Talia Pindyck MD, Cate Townley MURP, MUD, Robert P. Dellavalle MD, PhD, MSPH, JAMA Dermatology, doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2015.5663., published online 20 January 2016.

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