Assessing the Effectiveness of Knowledge-Based Interventions in Increasing Skin Cancer Awareness, Knowledge, and Protective Behaviors in Skin of Color Populations
Skin of color (SOC) populations (ie, blacks, Hispanics, Asians) are at a notably higher risk for mortality from skin cancers such as melanoma than white individuals. In this article, we seek to answer the following question: Do knowledge-based interventions increase skin cancer awareness among SOC patients? Following an extensive literature search, a total of 4 articles were analyzed and discussed in this review.
Practice Points
- Patients of color should be informed that they are at risk for skin cancer including melanoma.
- Patients of color should be taught to identify suspicious skin lesions including the ABCDEs of melanoma.
- Patients of color should be instructed to perform self-body skin examinations, especially of the palms and soles, for any evolving skin lesions. Patients should be instructed on the importance of visiting a physician for an evolving or suspicious mole or lesion.
Conclusion
All of the studies reviewed demonstrated that instructional and educational interventions are promising methods for improving either knowledge, awareness, or safe skin practices and sun-protective behaviors in SOC populations to differing degrees (Table). Although each of the 4 interventions employed their own methods, they all increased 1 or more of the 3 aforementioned concepts—knowledge, awareness, or safe skin practices and sun-protective behaviors—when comparing postsurvey to presurvey data. However, the critically important message derived from this research is that there is a tremendous need for a substantial large-scale educational intervention to increase knowledge regarding skin cancer in SOC populations.
,false
