title: Reasons to seek medical attention for a skin check-up: the layman's perspective.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The incidence of cutaneous malignant melanoma has increased rapidly in Sweden during the last 20 years. One way of reducing mortality is through early diagnosis. The aim of this study was to explore the reasons why different people seek medical attention for pigmented skin lesions, using a qualitative approach.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three groups of laymen (N=90), all with varying experience of pigmented skin lesions, were interviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most of the respondents had sought medical attention primarily because they were worried about a specific skin lesion. Patients with melanoma mentioned concern about very dark skin lesions more often than other respondents did. Encouragement by family and friends was also important.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Very dark coloration in pigmented skin lesions might be added to public recommendations for early discovery of melanoma. No other new nonmedical feature or circumstance was identified when the results were compared with two established systems for clinical diagnosis of melanoma (the ABCD criteria and the seven-point checklist).
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. richard.branstrom@fhi.se
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bränström
authors.forename: Mari-Anne
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hedblad
authors.forename: Ingvar
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Krakau
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ullén
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003880:Dermatology / Q000379:methods; D004416:Dysplastic Nevus Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D016353:Self-Examination / Q000379:methods*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012880:Skin Pigmentation; D013548:Sweden