Analysis of Tanning Attitudes and Behaviors by Young Adult Sexual Minority Males in the Greater Chicago Area

Aim 1: To develop survey items to assess tanning attitudes and behaviors Nine survey items used by the PI in previous deliberate tanning research were adapted with the expert consensus of members of Northwestern's Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing. Discussions with the PI, research personnel and members of the institute developed the hypothesis that in addition to the previously reported appearance motivations young SMM may be engaging in tanning (indoors or outdoors) as a social activity. A tenth survey item was developed to assess deliberate tanning as a social activity.

Aim 2: Analyze the tanning attitudes and behavior data acquired in an online survey of young adult sexual minority males, who regularly participate in the RADAR study.

RADAR is a longitudinal study with cohorts from the greater Chicago region recruited between 2008 and 2015. The 10 survey items about tanning attitudes and behaviors were added to the online survey that examines SMMs' behavior in the prior 6 months. This is a secondary analysis of registry data acquired by the RADAR study.