Smith B, Smith JE, Demanelis K, Ferris LK. Changes in skin cancer screening rates in the United States from 2005 to 2015. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2023 Feb 18:S0190-9622(23)00200-1. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2023.02.011. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36804574.
Factors such as female sex, higher educational attainment, and higher income were found to be associated with significant increases in total body skin exams
Clinical Pearls
The authors looked at rates of self-reported total body skin exams within the past 5 years from the NHIS in the years 2005, 2010, and 2015
The prevalence of total body skin exams increased from 4.8% in 2005 to 6.1% in 2015. Non-Hispanic Whites were the only race or ethnicity with a significant increase in total body skin exams from 2005 to 2015
Factors such as female sex, higher educational attainment, and higher income were found to be associated with significant increases in total body skin exams
Discussion:
Screening for skin cancer most often occurs due to patient request or physician suggestion as there is currently no recommended population-based screening from the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). The authors of this study noted this and sought to better understand the trends in skin cancer screening over a period of 10 years.
Using the National Health Interview Survey data, the authors looked at rates of self-reported total body skin exams within the past 5 years of participants 18 years or older and without a personal history of skin cancer or a first degree relative with a history of melanoma. Specifically, the authors analyzed data from the years 2005 (28,233 participants), 2010 (24,113 participants), and 2015 (29,902 participants).
The authors found that the prevalence of participants undergoing a total body skin exam increased from 4.8% in 2005 to 6.1% in 2015 (adjusted OR, 1.09; 95% CI: 1.04-1.14, p<0.001). The only race or ethnicity with a significant increase in total body skin exams from 2005 to 2015 was Non-Hispanic Whites (adjusted OR, 1.15; 95% CI: 1.09-1.21, p<0.001). Female sex, higher educational attainment, and higher income were all also associated with significant increases in total body skin exams. Weaknesses of this study include a lack of data from the year 2020 (unavailable due to the COVID-19 pandemic) as well as self-reporting of skin exams by participants.
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