Abstract
Over 1.3 million cases of skin cancer occur annually in the USA, but no uniform or evidence-based screening guidelines exist. During a 1-year intervention, a patient education tool was distributed to patients. Billing records were utilized to compare detection and treatment rates for cancerous and precancerous skin lesions during the intervention to a historical control. No significant change in detection rates was demonstrated (RR = 1.0, p = 0.88). However, the number of procedures performed for malignant and pre-malignant skin lesions increased significantly (RR = 2.4, p < 0.0001). The patient education tool created clinically significant behavioral change at a low monetary and time cost.
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Acknowledgments
This study is supported by the Ohio Family Medicine Residency Cancer Research Scholarship Grant from the Ohio Academy of Family Physicians Foundation and the Ohio Chapter of the American Cancer Society. Dr. RM Kauffman is supported by the Behavioral Cooperative Oncology Group of the Mary Margaret Walther Cancer Center, Indianapolis, IN.
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Kauffman, R.D., Shah, M.S. & Kauffman, R.M. Patient Education Cards for Skin Cancer Detection and Treatment. J Canc Educ 25, 184–187 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-009-0030-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-009-0030-0