Tanning, Skin Cancer Risk, and Prevention: A Content Analysis of Eight Popular Magazines That Target Female Readers, 1997–2006

Figures & data

TABLE 1 Magazines' Coverage of Consequences of Suntanning

Target/Magazine	Aged Skin	Discoloration	Burn	Cancer	Death	Magazine Totals
Girls
Cosmo Girl	2	2	3	5	3	15 (5.8)
Seventeen	6	4	5	3	2	20 (7.8)
Subtotal girls	8	6	8	8	5	35 (13.6)
Young women
Cosmopolitan	13	9	7	10	5	44 (17.1)
Glamour	9	3	6	6	1	25 (9.7)
Subtotal young women	22	12	13	16	6	69 (26.8)
Older women
Good Housekeeping	10	4	7	8	2	31 (12.1)
Redbook	8	11	9	10	3	41 (16.0)
Subtotal older women	18	15	16	18	5	72 (28.0)
Fitness
Self	9	6	9	10	5	39 (15.1)
Shape	12	9	8	9	4	42 (16.3)
Subtotal fitness	21	15	17	19	9	81 (31.5)
Variable totals	69 (26.8)	48 (18.7)	54 (21.0)	61 (23.7)	25 (9.7)	257
Note. Numbers in parentheses are percentages of column and row totals.

TABLE 2 Tanning Benefits Featured in Magazines

Target/Magazine	LookingHealthy	LookingAttractive	LookingSexy	LookingThin	LookingYounger	LookingRich	HavingFun	Magazine Totals
Girls
Cosmo Girl	2	3	0	0	0	0	2	7 (7.1)
Seventeen	8	2	0	0	0	0	3	13 (13.3)
Subtotal girls	10	5	0	0	0	0	5	20 (20.4)
Young women
Cosmopolitan	9	9	7	0	1	1	2	29 (29.6)
Glamour	1	1	0	1	1	0	0	4 (4.1)
Subtotal young women	10	10	7	1	2	1	2	33 (33.7)
Older women
Good Housekeeping	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	2 (2.0)
Redbook	10	3	1	1	0	0	0	15 (15.3)
Subtotal older women	11	3	1	2	0	0	0	17 (17.3)
Fitness
Self	6	1	0	1	0	6	6	14 (14.3)
Shape	3	3	1	3	1	3	3	14 (14.3)
Subtotal fitness	9	4	1	4	1	9	9	28 (28.6)
Variable totals	40 (40.8)	22 (22.4)	9 (9.2)	7 (7.1)	3 (3.1)	1 (1.0)	16 (16.3)	98
Note. Numbers in parentheses are percentages of column and row totals.

TABLE 3 Magazines' Coverage of Skin Cancer Prevention Methods

Target/Magazine	SunscreenSPF 15+	ProtectiveClothing	SeekShade	Avoid the Sun	Avoid Tanning Beds	ArtificialTanning Only	Magazine Totals
Girls
Cosmo Girl	8	0	3	0	1	1	13 (5.0)
Seventeen	15	1	1	1	3	0	21 (8.1)
Subtotal girls	23	1	4	1	4	1	34 (13.1)
Young women
Cosmopolitan	30	6	3	8	7	7	61 (23.5)
Glamour	9	2	0	2	4	1	18 (6.9)
Subtotal young women	39	8	3	10	11	8	79 (30.4)
Older women
Good Housekeeping	16	3	2	0	1	0	22 (8.5)
Redbook	22	6	2	2	4	4	40 (15.4)
Subtotal older women	38	9	4	2	5	4	62 (23.8)
Fitness
Self	14	8	3	5	3	0	33 (12.7)
Shape	29	7	3	5	4	4	52 (20.0)
Subtotal fitness	43	15	6	10	7	4	85 (32.7)
Variable totals	143 (55.0)	33 (12.7)	17 (6.5)	23 (8.8)	27 (10.4)	17 (6.5)	260
Note. Numbers in parentheses are percentages of column and row totals.

TABLE 4 Magazines' Coverage of Skin Cancer Detection Methods

Target/Magazine	Dermatologist	SSE	How to SSE	Partner Assistance	Magazine Totals
Girls
Cosmo Girl	1	0	0	0	1 (1.3)
Seventeen	0	0	0	0	0 (0.0)
Subtotal girls	1	0	0	0	1 (1.3)
Young women's
Cosmopolitan	6	8	5	0	19 (23.8)
Glamour	4	2	1	0	7 (8.8)
Subtotal young women	10	10	6	0	26 (32.5)
Older women's
Good Housekeeping	4	3	2	0	9 (11.3)
Redbook	12	2	2	0	16 (20.0)
Subtotal older women	16	5	4	0	25 (31.3)
Fitness
Self	6	3	1	0	10 (12.5)
Shape	7	7	2	2	18 (22.5)
Subtotal fitness	13	10	3	2	28 (35.0)
Variable totals	40 (50.0)	25 (31.3)	13 (16.3)	2 (0.2)	80
Note. Numbers in parentheses are percentages of column and row totals. SSE, skin self-exam.

TABLE 5 Article Photographs

Target/Magazine	EncouragedUV Exposure	Safer UV Exposure	Safer/NoUV Exposure	DiscouragedUV Exposure	MixedMessages	Neutral	Magazine totals
Girls
Cosmo Girl	0	3	1	2	1	0	7 (3.5)
Seventeen	3	5	2	3	6	2	21 (10.5)
Subtotal girl	3	8	3	5	7	2	28 (14.0)
Young women
Cosmopolitan	9	10	0	3	8	11	41 (20.5)
Glamour	4	3	0	4	2	4	17 (8.5)
Subtotal young women	13	13	0	7	10	15	58 (29.0)
Older women
Good Housekeeping	2	3	3	1	3	2	18 (9.0)
Redbook	7	3	3	4	9	4	30 (15.0)
Subtotal older women	9	6	6	5	12	6	48 (24.0)
Fitness
Self	2	3	1	3	7	2	18 (9.0)
Shape	15	7	0	6	10	10	48 (24.0)
Subtotal fitness	17	10	1	9	17	12	66 (33.0)
Variable totals	42 (21.0)	41 (20.5)	10 (5.0)	26 (13.0)	46 (23.0)	35 (17.5)	200
Note. Numbers in parentheses are percentages of column and row totals.

FIGURE 1 Coverage of skin cancer relevant issues in wommen' magazines.