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Number of Adults with One Sunburn: 1999, 2003, and 2004

Sunburn is an important risk factor for two types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma and melanoma. Melanoma is the most lethal type of skin cancer. In 2003, a total of 45,625 new cases of melanoma were diagnosed in the United States, and 7,818 people died from the disease.¹ An overarching analysis of 57 studies showed that relative risk for melanoma among people with sunburn history was more than twice the risk of those without sunburn history [2.03; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.73–2.37].² To evaluate trends in sunburn prevalence among U.S. adults, CDC analyzed cross-sectional data from the 1999, 2003, and 2004 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) surveys. That analysis indicated that sunburn prevalence among all adults increased from 31.8% in 1999 to 33.7% in 2004.

For all three survey years, approximately one third of the U.S. adult population reported one or more sunburns during the preceding year. Two thirds of those reporting one or more sunburns during the preceding year had at least two sunburns. These findings are consistent with previous similar analyses and suggest that a substantial segment of the adult population is not consistently practicing sun-protection behaviors.³ CDC recommends the following sun-protection behaviors: wearing a wide-brimmed hat, covering up while in the sun, seeking shade, wearing wrap-around sunglasses, avoiding the sun during the hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and using sunscreen with a sun protection factor [SPF] of 15 or higher.^†

For more information, please see:

Protecting Yourself from the Sun
Basic Information About Skin Cancer
Skin Cancer Questions and Answers
Play It Safe in the Sun: A Guide For Parents

¹US Cancer Statistics Working Group. United States cancer statistics: 1999--2003 incidence and mortality web based report. Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services, CDC, National Cancer Institute; 2006. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/uscs.

²Gandini S, Sera F, Cattaruzza MS, et al. Meta-analysis of risk factors for cutaneous melanoma: II. Sun exposure. Eur J Cancer 2005;41:45--60.

³Saraiya M, Hall I, Uhler RJ. Sunburn prevalence among adults in the United States, 1999. Am J Prev Med 2002;23:91--7.

^†Additional information available at http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/basic_info/howto.htm.