title: Skin self-examination in a population at increased risk for skin cancer.
abstract: This cross-sectional study examined predictors of skin self-examination (SSE) in a population at increased risk for skin cancer. Subjects were 384 hospital employees participating in a worksite skin cancer screening. Although 61% reported that they performed SSE at least once during the past year, only 20% reported monthly SSE. Only a minority of the subjects were knowledgeable about most of the recommended SSE steps. Based on behavioral self-regulation theory, multivariate analysis showed that a variety of psychological factors (including optimism, knowledge about SSE, perceived self-efficacy, and number of reasons for doing SSE) correlated positively with frequency of SSE. Demographic variables accounted for about 6% of the variance in frequency of SSE. Overall, the variables in this model accounted for about 25% of the variance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030.
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bruce
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Webb
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Weinberg
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Cooper
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015984:Causality; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010564:Personnel, Hospital; D012307:Risk Factors; D016353:Self-Examination; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013781:Texas