TUESDAY, July 16, 2002 (HealthDayNews) -- Young adults apparently have so much fun frolicking in the sun that they ignore the deadly risks associated with sunburns.
A new study published in the August issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that 60 percent of young adults in America report suffering a sunburn in the past year. That compares to about 32 percent of adults overall.
Skin cancer, which is diagnosed in about a million Americans each year, is the most easily preventable form of the cancer. Sun exposure has been linked to the deadly disease.
Using data from the National Cancer Institute, the researchers say those most likely to spend too much time in the sun include suburbanites and those who are more educated. They say people in those groups may have more leisure time to spend outside than others. Midwesterners were also more likely to report a sunburn during the past 12 months.
More information
The American Academy of Dermatology can help you assess your risk of getting skin cancer.
