One out of every 20 people in Massachusetts has been diagnosed with a type of skin cancer, one of the highest rates in the country, a recent report found. The rates are even higher on Cape Cod, where the Barnstable-Yarmouth area placed in the top five metropolitan areas for skin cancer.
The report, released recently by Blue Cross Blue Shield as sunbathers begin heading to the region’s beaches, found that 8.6 percent of people in the Barnstable-Yarmouth area have been diagnosed with skin cancer.
Dr. Julie Craig-Muller, a primary care physician in the Cape town of Mashpee, said the high rates in part reflect the allure of warm-weather attractions in the region and the lifestyle of residents.
“We spend a lot of time outdoors; it’s lovely here,’’ she said. “We’re doing things like being in boats. ... In New England, people like to be outdoors.’’
Overall, the study ranked four New England states in the top 10 for skin cancer rates: Connecticut (No. 3), Rhode Island (tied for 4th), and Vermont (tied for 4th), and Massachusetts (tied for 6th).
The report, which was released June 1, is based on 2016 medical claims data from Blue Cross Blue Shield’s Health Index, which measured health conditions of privately insured individuals in nearly every county in the country.
Local health specialists said a mix of factors, including New England’s demographics, the habits of its residents, and societal pressure to look tan, may contribute to the findings.
“We still have a lot of young women using tanning beds, which we really need to discourage in a big way,’’ said Dr. Bruce Nash, chief physician executive at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts.
The study also backed up previous reports that rates of melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, are rising nationwide.
Experts said this could be due to the aging baby boomer population in places like Cape Cod, a popular retirement destination. Nash said skin cancer can take decades to develop and become noticeable, and 30 years ago “tanning was viewed as something healthy.’’
Nearly a third of the Cape’s population is age 65 and over, according to 2016 census data.
Craig-Muller said adequate sunscreen did not exist until the mid-1980s.
“Now we have the baby boomer generation and the generation a little older than they are that are really starting to develop skin cancer because of all the exposure they had,’’ she said. “Our mothers just said, ‘Go play outside, we’ll see you at dinner.’ ’’
Doctors on Cape Cod said they have noticed the rise in melanoma cases, and said skin cancer has become a major focus at their practices.
Dr. Mark Liska, a dermatologist in North Falmouth, said he used to treat about one melanoma case a month. Now, he sees about two to three every week, a change he said coincided with the aging Cape population and increased use of tanning beds.
“Tanning salon use has been on the rise in the past few decades,’’ Liska said, adding that “it’s been suggested that if you go to a tanning bed once, it increases your melanoma risk by eightfold.’’
Meanwhile, the ethnic makeup of New England states could play a factor in the region’s high rates of cancer rates.
“When we look at different populations, we certainly know that fair-skinned people are more at risk for skin cancer than darker-skinned people,’’ said Nash, of Blue Cross. “When you consider that, you can make a reasonable judgment about … our local population compared to others.’’
More than 80 percent of New England’s residents are white, 2016 Census data show.
Nationally, the study ranked Florida as the top state for skin cancer diagnoses (7.1 percent). That state’s Sarasota-Bradenton area was the top metropolitan area, with an alarming 10 percent skin cancer rate.
To prevent skin cancer, doctors urge staying away from tanning beds, wearing and reapplying sunscreen with an adequate SPF, and wearing sufficient hats and clothing in the sun.
J.D. Capelouto can be reached at jd.capelouto@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @jdcapelouto.
