Louisa G Gordon1, Craig Sinclair2, Noel Cleaves3, Jennifer K Makin4, Astrid J Rodriguez-Acevedo5, Adèle C Green6. 1. QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Locked Bag 2000, Royal Brisbane Hospital Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia. Electronic address: louisa.gordon@qimrberghofer.edu.au. 2. Cancer Council Victoria, 615 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia. Electronic address: Craig.Sinclair@cancervic.org.au. 3. Department of Health & Human Services, 50 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia. Electronic address: Noel.Cleaves@dhhs.vic.gov.au. 4. University of Tasmania, Menzies Institute of Medical Research, Private Bag 51, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia. Electronic address: jen.makin@utas.edu.au. 5. QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Locked Bag 2000, Royal Brisbane Hospital Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia. Electronic address: astrid.rodriguez@qimrberghofer.edu.au. 6. QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Locked Bag 2000, Royal Brisbane Hospital Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia. Electronic address: adele.green@qimrberghofer.edu.au.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To quantify the consequences of a total ban on indoor tanning for short-term regulatory enforcement, for consumers, and the longer-term health economic effects. METHODS: Instances of illegal solarium prosecutions and tanning bed confiscations in the state of Victoria (population 7 million) were obtained from government surveillance records. Consumer interest for indoor tanning and spray/fake tanning were assessed using Google Trends' Search Volume Index (range 0 to maximum 100). Long-term health economic effects were estimated using a Markov cohort model. RESULTS: The Victorian Government completed 13 prosecutions and confiscated 39 illegal tanning units. Consumer interest for indoor tanning reduced to less than one quarter of pre-regulation seasonal peaks (Search Volume Index 12/48) while spray tanning interest remained high (70-88). For young Australians over their remaining lives, banning commercial indoor tanning is expected to avert 31,009 melanomas (-3.7%), avert 468,249 keratinocyte cancers (-3.6%) and save over AU$64 (US$47) million in healthcare costs and produce over AU$516 (US$375) million in productivity gains. CONCLUSIONS: Three years after the nationwide ban, regulation enforcement activities have decreased, and consumers have adopted substitute tanning methods.
OBJECTIVE: To quantify the consequences of a total ban on indoor tanning for short-term regulatory enforcement, for consumers, and the longer-term health economic effects. METHODS: Instances of illegal solarium prosecutions and tanning bed confiscations in the state of Victoria (population 7 million) were obtained from government surveillance records. Consumer interest for indoor tanning and spray/fake tanning were assessed using Google Trends' Search Volume Index (range 0 to maximum 100). Long-term health economic effects were estimated using a Markov cohort model. RESULTS: The Victorian Government completed 13 prosecutions and confiscated 39 illegal tanning units. Consumer interest for indoor tanning reduced to less than one quarter of pre-regulation seasonal peaks (Search Volume Index 12/48) while spray tanning interest remained high (70-88). For young Australians over their remaining lives, banning commercial indoor tanning is expected to avert 31,009 melanomas (-3.7%), avert 468,249 keratinocyte cancers (-3.6%) and save over AU$64 (US$47) million in healthcare costs and produce over AU$516 (US$375) million in productivity gains. CONCLUSIONS: Three years after the nationwide ban, regulation enforcement activities have decreased, and consumers have adopted substitute tanning methods.
Authors: Louisa G Gordon; Rob Hainsworth; Martin Eden; Tracy Epton; Paul Lorigan; Megan Grant; Adéle C Green; Katherine Payne Journal: Children (Basel) Date: 2021-05-14