The following is a summary of “Evidence-Based Communication to Increase Melanoma Knowledge and Skin Checks,” published in the March 2024 issue of Dermatology by Nadratowski, et al.
For a study, researchers sought to identify effective health communication messages to educate the public about melanoma and increase their intentions to conduct skin checks.
Participants were exposed to different health communication messages: one set aimed at increasing melanoma knowledge and another intended to enhance self-confidence in conducting skin checks. Participants’ responses to these messages were compared with those who did not receive any notifications. Evaluation metrics included the proportion of correctly identified moles, awareness of melanoma warning signs, and self-reported intentions to perform skin checks on a scale of 1–5.
Participants who viewed messages aimed at increasing melanoma knowledge demonstrated a significantly higher proportion of correctly identified moles (74.6% vs. 70.4%) (mean number = 17.9, 95% CI = 17.5–18.3 vs. 16.9, 95% CI = 16.6–17.3; P < .001, partial eta-squared = 0.03) and greater awareness of melanoma warning signs (mean number = 5.8, 95% CI = 5.7–5.8 vs 5.6, 95% CI = 5.5–5.7, P = .01, partial eta-squared = 0.02) compared to those who did not view such messages. Additionally, individuals exposed to messages intended to boost self-confidence in skin checks reported significantly higher intentions to perform skin examinations on a scale of 1–5 (mean number = 3.8, 95% CI = 3.7–3.9 vs 3.6, 95% CI = 3.4–3.7, P = .005, partial eta-squared = 0.02). These differences were statistically significant.
Online melanoma messages targeted at increasing melanoma knowledge and self-confidence in skin checks may be the most effective in improving the accuracy of skin self-examinations and increasing intentions to perform them. Such tailored health communication strategies have the potential to empower individuals to take proactive measures in monitoring their skin health, thereby contributing to early detection of melanoma and potentially saving lives.
Reference: sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667026723000796