PhD Scientific Days 2026

Poster Session 3.L - Health Sciences

Tanning Industry in Budapest: Commercial Determinant of Health Framework in practice

Name of the presenter

Stier, Agnes

Institute/workplace of the presenter

Semmelweis University Doctoral College, Health Division

Authors

Agnes Stier¹, Anna Páldy²
1: Semmelweis University Doctoral College, Health Division
2: National Center for Public Health and Pharmacy

Text of the abstract

Introduction: It is well-established that indoor tanning increases melanoma risk. In Hungary, regulation remains limited (no age limit for use, and salons do not require operating permits), and there is no official registry of tanning salons. Using the commercial determinants of health (CDOH) framework, this study explores how market availability may influence the population’s exposure to a carcinogenic commodity in Budapest.
Aims: We aimed to (1) identify and characterise tanning salons in Budapest; (2) map salon density across districts and assess proximity to major transport hubs and large (socialist era) housing estates; and (3) test whether district-level salon density is associated with selected socioeconomic indicators.
Methods: In spring 2024, salons were identified via online business directories and Google Maps and verified online or in person. Density (salons per 100,000 residents) was calculated by district using population data from the Hungarian Central Statistical Office. Spatial analyses assessed whether salons clustered within 1 km of major transport hubs and within 1.5 km of large housing estates. We applied Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression to examine associations between district-level salon density and socioeconomic indicators (education and unemployment rate; census 2022).
Results: We identified 158 salons in Budapest. The distribution of salons varied across districts, with the highest density in the 3rd, 4th, 13th, and 20th districts, and the lowest in the 10th, 16th, 18th, and 22nd. Around 30% of salons were within 1 km of major transport hubs. One-quarter of housing estates had no salon within 1.5 km, while some estates, like the Újpest housing estate, had multiple salons nearby (up to 11). In OLS models, salon density was significantly associated with unemployment (coefficient 4.278; robust p<0.05; R2=0.08), educational level showed no significant effect.
Conclusion: Tanning salon availability in Budapest was spatially clustered and concentrated around high-connectivity urban infrastructure. A higher unemployment rate was associated with greater salon density. These findings support a CDOH perspective in which commercial availability helps structure exposure beyond individual choice and can inform regulation and targeted prevention.
Funding: The authors received no funding.