08.03.15
Nationally, one in five Americans will develop skin cancer over the course of a lifetime—and it appears that some states are doing better than others when it comes to prevention.
According to Vitals, an online service that connects patients with physicians, hospitals and other health specialists and facilities, some states are making significant strides against skin cancer. They’re reducing sunburn rates, keeping skin cancer rates steady and attracting more dermatologists.
The Vitals Index Skin Cancer Risk Report, which is based on proprietary and third party data sources, takes into account quality ratings for dermatologists, the change in the number of dermatologists, as well as per capita numbers of dermatologists by state. It also considers statewide skin cancer change in sunburn incidence rates, as well as overall sunburn rates and race compositions by state.
Residents in states least synonymous with summertime fun—think Idaho, Vermont, Washington and Maine—had the highest risk of skin cancer. In contrast, states ranked lowest for risk are often considered beach destinations—Hawaii, Rhode Island and North Carolina.
The results, according to Vitals, point to the failure of awareness campaigns to resonate with the general population. This is especially true in colder-climate states, where, absent the hot sun, residents may have fooled themselves into a sense of false comfort, the firm said.
Nationally, more people over a five-year time period report experiencing a least one sunburn in the previous year—a 2.9% increase to 42% of the adult population, according to Vitals.
According to Vitals, an online service that connects patients with physicians, hospitals and other health specialists and facilities, some states are making significant strides against skin cancer. They’re reducing sunburn rates, keeping skin cancer rates steady and attracting more dermatologists.
The Vitals Index Skin Cancer Risk Report, which is based on proprietary and third party data sources, takes into account quality ratings for dermatologists, the change in the number of dermatologists, as well as per capita numbers of dermatologists by state. It also considers statewide skin cancer change in sunburn incidence rates, as well as overall sunburn rates and race compositions by state.
Residents in states least synonymous with summertime fun—think Idaho, Vermont, Washington and Maine—had the highest risk of skin cancer. In contrast, states ranked lowest for risk are often considered beach destinations—Hawaii, Rhode Island and North Carolina.
The results, according to Vitals, point to the failure of awareness campaigns to resonate with the general population. This is especially true in colder-climate states, where, absent the hot sun, residents may have fooled themselves into a sense of false comfort, the firm said.
Nationally, more people over a five-year time period report experiencing a least one sunburn in the previous year—a 2.9% increase to 42% of the adult population, according to Vitals.