Skip to main content

Prevalence of Whole-Body Skin Self-Examination in a Population at High Risk for Skin Cancer (Australia)

Cancer Causes & Control volume 15, pages 453–463 (2004)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective: Whole-body skin self-examination (SSE) with presentation of suspicious lesions to a physician may improve early detection of melanoma. The aim of this study was to establish the prevalence and determinants of SSE in a high-risk population in preparation for a community-based randomised controlled trial of screening for melanoma.

Methods: A telephone survey reached 3110 residents older than 30 years (overall response rate of 66.9%) randomly selected from 18 regional communities in Queensland, Australia.

Results: Overall, 804 (25.9%) participants reported whole-body SSE within the past 12 months and 1055 (33.9%) within the past three years. Whole-body SSE was associated in multivariate logistic regression analysis with younger age ( <50 years); higher education; having received either a whole-body skin examination, recommendation or instruction on SSE by a primary care physician; giving skin checks a high priority; concern about skin cancer and a personal history of skin cancer.

Conclusion: Overall, the prevalence of SSE in the present study is among the highest yet observed in Australia, with about one-third of the adult population reporting whole-body SSE in the past threeyears. People over 50 years, who are at relatively higher risk for skin cancer, currently perform SSE less frequently than younger people.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

References

  1. Rigel DS, Carucci JA (2000) Malignant melanoma: prevention, early detection, and treatment in the 21st Century. CA Cancer J Clin 50: 215–236.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Jemal A, Murray T, Samuels A et al. (2003) Cancer Statistics 2003. CA Cancer J Clin 53: 5–26.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. 3. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) & Australasian Association of Cancer Registries (AACR) 2003. Cancer in Australia 2000. AIHW Cat No. CAN 18. Canberra: AIHW (Cancer Series no. 23).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Youlden D, Coory M. Mortality and incidence trends for leading cancers in Queensland, 1982-2001. Information Circular 65. Health Information Centre. Queensland Government. February 2004.

  5. Cancer in Queensland. Incidence and Mortality 1982-2001. Queensland Cancer Registry, Queensland Cancer Fund. October 2003.

  6. Baade P, Coory M, Ring I (2000) National health priority cancers in Queensland (1982-1997). Brisbane Health Information Centre, Queensland Health.

  7. Breslow A (1970) Thickness, cross-sectional areas, and depth of invasion in the prognosis of cutaneuous melanoma. Ann Surg 170: 902–908.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Clark WH, Elder DE, Guerry D, et al. (1984) A study of tumor progression: the precursor lesions of superficial spreading and nodular melanoma. Hum Pathol 15: 1147–1165.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Balch CM, Soong SJ, Shaw HM, et al. (1992) An analysis of prognostic factors in 8500 patients with cutaneous melanoma. In: Balch CM, Houghton AN, Milton GW, Sober AJ, Soong SJ,eds. Cutaneous melanoma, 2nd ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott, pp. 165–187.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Marks R (2002) The changing incidence and mortality of melanoma in Australia. Recent Results Cancer Res 160: 113–121.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Jemal A, Devesa S, Fears T, et al. (2000) Cancer surveillance series: changing patterns of cutaneous malignant melanoma mortality rates among whites in the United States. J Natl Cancer Inst 92: 811–818.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Giles G, Thursfield V (1996) Trends in skin cancer in Australia. Cancer Forum 20: 188–191.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Jemal A, Devesa SS, Hartge P, et al. (2001) Recent trends in cutaneous melanoma incidence among whites in the United States. J Natl Cancer Inst 93: 678–683.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. exam.htm} Accessed June 19, 2003.

  15. Berwick M, Begg CB, Fine JA, et al. (1996) Screening for cutaneous melanoma by skin self-examination. J Natl Cancer Inst 88: 17–23.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Elwood M (1996) Skin self-examination and melanoma. J Natl Cancer Inst 88: 3–5.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Mortague M, Borland R, Sinclair C (2001) Slip! Slop! Slap! And SunSmart, 1980-2000: Skin cancer control and 20 years of population based campaigning. Health Educ Behav 28: 290–305.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Kelly J (1998) Melanoma in the elderly-a neglected public health challenge. Med J Aust 169: 403–404.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Hanrahan PF, Hersey P, D'Este CA (1998) Factors involved in presentation of older people with thick melanoma. Med J Austr 169: 410–414.

    Google Scholar 

  20. English DR, Armstrong BLK (1988) Identifying people at high risk for cutaneous malignant melanoma: results from a casecontrol study in Western Australia. Br Med J 296: 1285–1288.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Balanda KP, Lowe JB, Stanton WR, et al. (1994) Enhancing the early detection of melanoma with current guidelines. Aust J Public Health 18: 420–423.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Borland R, Meehan JW (1995) Skin examination for signs of cancer. Aust J Public Health 19: 85–88.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Douglass HM, McGee R, Willimas S (1998) Are young adults checking their skin for melanoma? Austr NZ J Public Health 22: 562–567.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Friedman RJ, Rigel DS, Kopf AW (1985) Early detection of malignant melanoma: The role of physician examination and selfexamination of the skin. CA Cancer J Clin 35: 130–51.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Friedman LC, Bruce S, Webb JA, et al. (1993) Skin selfexamination in a population at increased risk for skin cancer. Am J Prev Medi 9: 359–364.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Geller AC, Zhang Z, Sober AJ, et al. (2003) The first 15 years of the American Academy of Dermatology Skin Cancer Screening Programs: 1985-1999. J Am Acad Dermatol 48: 34–41.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Geller AC, Koh HK, Miller DR, et al. (1992) Use of health services before the diagnosis of melanoma. J Gen Intern Med 7: 154–157.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Girgis A, Campbell EM, Redman S, et al. (1991) Screening for melanoma: a community survey of prevalence and predictors, Med J Austr 154: 338–343.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Hill D, White V, Borland R, et al. (1991) Cancer-related beliefs and behaviours in Australia. Aust J Public Health 15: 14–23.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Miller DR, Geller AC, Wyatt SW, et al. (1996) Melanoma awareness and self-examination practises: Results of a United States survey. J Am Acad Dermatol 34: 962–970.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Oliveria SA, Christos PJ, Halpern AC, et al. (1999) Evaluation of factors associated with skin self-examination. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 8: 971–978.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Robinson JK, Rigel DS, Amonette RA (1998) What promotes skin self-examination? J Am Acad Dermatol 38: 752–757.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Robinson JK, Fisher SG, Turrisi RJ (2002) Predictors of skin selfexamination performance. Cancer 95: 135–146.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Weinstock MA, Martin RA, Risica PM, et al. (1999) Thorough skin examination for the early detection of melanoma. Am J Prev Med 17: 169–175.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Green A, MacLennan R, Youl P, et al. (1993) Site distribution of cutaneous melanoma in Queensland. Int J Cancer 53: 232–236.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Rigel DS, Friedman RJ, Kopf AW et al. (1986) Importance of complete skin exam for the detection of malignant melanoma. J Am Acad Dermatol 14: 857–60.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Aitken JF, Elwood J, Lowe JB, et al. (2002) A randomised trial of population screening for melanoma. J Med Screen 9: 33–38.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Janda M, Elwood MJ, Ring IT, et al. (2004) Increase in skin screening by general practitioners in regional Queensland. Med J Austr 180: 10–15.

    Google Scholar 

  39. Koh HK, Miller DR, Geller AC,et al. (1992) Who discovers melanoma? Patterns from a population-based survey. J Am Acad Dermatol 26: 914–19.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. US Preventive Services Task Force (1996) Guide to clinical preventive services. 2nd ed. Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins, pp. 141–152.

    Google Scholar 

  41. The Cancer Council of Australia (2001). National Cancer Prevention Policy 2001-2003. http://www.cancer.org.au/documents/ National%20Cancer%20Prevention%20Policy.PDF Accessed June 19, 2003.

  42. Vernon SW (1997) Participation in colorectal cancer screening: a review. J Natl Cancer Inst 89:1406–1422.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Halabi S, Skinner CS, Samsa GP, et al. (2000) Factors associated with repeated mammography screening. J Fam Pract 49: 1104–1112.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Heywood A, Sanson-Fisher R, Ring I, et al. (1994) Risk prevalence and screening for cancer by general practitioners. Prev Med 23: 152–159.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Oliveria SA, Christos PJ, Marghoob AA, et al. (2001) Skin cancer sreening and prevention in the primary care setting. J Gen Intern Med 16: 297–301.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Schofield T, Connell RW, Walker L, et al. (2000) Understanding men's health and illness: a gender-relations approach to policy, research, and practice. J Am Coll Health, 48: 247–256.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Epstein DS, Lange JR, Gruber SB, Mofid M, Koch SE (1999) Is physician detection associated with thinner melanomas? JAMA 281: 640–643.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Norman SA, Localio AR, Zhou L, et al. (2003) Validation of selfreported screening mammography histories among women with and without breast cancer. Am J Prev Med 158: 264–271.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

    Joanne F. Aitken

  2. Department of Epidemiology, Queensland Cancer Fund, P.O. Box 201, Spring Hill, Brisbane, QLD, 4004, Austalia

    Joanne F. Aitken

  3. Department of Epidemiology, Queensland Cancer Fund, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

    Monika Janda

  4. Department of Community and Behavioral Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA

    John B. Lowe

  5. National Cancer Control Initiative, Carlton, Victoria, Australia

    Mark Elwood

  6. Health Information Centre, Queensland Health, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

    Ian T. Ring

  7. Office of Economic and Statistical Research, Queensland Treasury, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

    Philippa H. Youl

Authors
  1. Joanne F. Aitken
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Monika Janda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. John B. Lowe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Mark Elwood
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Ian T. Ring
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Philippa H. Youl
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. David W. Firman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Joanne F. Aitken.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Aitken, J.F., Janda, M., Lowe, J.B. et al. Prevalence of Whole-Body Skin Self-Examination in a Population at High Risk for Skin Cancer (Australia). Cancer Causes Control 15, 453–463 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:CACO.0000036451.39128.f6

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:CACO.0000036451.39128.f6

  • melanoma
  • randomised-controlled trial
  • screening
  • skin self-examination