Participation of older males in a study on photography as an aid to early detection of melanoma.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the acceptability of photography as an aid to skin examinations in men over 50 years of age.


METHODS
A randomised trial of men selected from the electoral roll. All participants were photographed, but only half received their photographs. Skin examinations by GPs at years one and two.


RESULTS
55% of men consented to have photographs taken and 51% did so. 86% of respondents had risk factors for melanoma (compared to 68% of non-responders) and 47% had two or more risk factors (compared to 23% of non-responders). At year one, 91% of participants remaining in study regions had been examined. Photographs were lost by only six participants.


CONCLUSIONS
Men over 50 years of age respond to personalised health messages about melanoma and respondents include a high proportion of males with risk factors for melanoma.


CONCLUSIONS
These initial results suggest that photography may be a logistically acceptable approach for assisting in the early detection of melanoma.
Hanrahan
P F
PF
Oncology & Immunology Unit, Newcastle Mater Misericordiae Hospital, New South Wales.
Menzies
S W
SW
D'Este
C A
CA
Plummer
T
T
Hersey
P
P
D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D005194:Family Practice / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D010358:Patient Participation; D010781:Photography; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011336:Probability; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology