of passersby and skin-cancer screening attendees in Washington, D.C.
“These findings highlight the importance of tailoring free skin cancer screening events for nonwhite and younger populations,” senior author Adam Friedman, MD, professor and interim chair of dermatology at George Washington University, Washington, said in a statement provided by the institution. “While free screening events are important, we also have to think about comprehensive, community-based solutions that reach broader demographic populations than skin cancer screenings alone.”
Dr. Adam Friedman
For the new study, which appears in the July 2019 issue of Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, researchers led by Emily C. Murphy, BS, of George Washington University, sought to better understand skin safety precautions in the population beyond those who attend skin cancer screenings (J Drugs Dermatol. 2019;18[7]:649-53).
The study authors surveyed 285 passersby at six locations in Washington, D.C. (65% were female, 47% were under age 31, 48% were white, and 29% were black) and 144 attendees at a free skin cancer screening at George Washington University (70% were female, 16% were under 31, 44% were over 60, 73% were white, and 14% were black).
The attendees at the screening event were much more likely to engage in sun safety habits that are linked to lower risk of squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, and melanoma: 34% always used sunscreen vs. 19% of the public group (P = .001), and 52% always sought shade vs. 32% of the public group (P = .002). Seventeen percent of the public group never used sunscreen compared with 8% of the screening group.
Whites and older subjects were more likely to embrace sun-safety practices. When the groups were combined, 84% of whites and 52% of blacks always or sometimes used sunscreen (P less than .0001). Those over 60 were much more likely to always seek shade than were those under 31 (53% vs. 24%, P less than .0001).
“The screening group was older and included more individuals with fair skin, highlighting the need to target younger and nonwhite populations for sun safety education,” the researchers wrote. “Encouraging sun safety in younger populations will decrease the risk of skin cancer for patients now and later in their lives. That said, educating populations who seek skin cancer screenings is still important given 22% of our screening cohort reported rarely or never wearing sunscreen, underscoring this program’s value.”
The researchers noted that the study’s limitations include its small size, the possibility that the public group had higher education rates because they were near a university, and the lack of insight into whether the public group represented the general population.
No study funding was reported. The study authors reported no relevant disclosures.