title: The frequency of self-skin examination and full body skin examination in dermatologists.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Mortalities due to skin cancer are escalating, but early detection via skin examinations can be beneficial. To date, dermatologists have not been isolated as a high-risk population for developing skin cancer, although some evidence suggests that they are a high-risk group. Therefore, the specific aims of this study were to measure the frequency at which dermatologists perform self-skin examination and receive full-body skin examination.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of 476 respondents provided data for this cross-sectional, nine-item survey, which was e-mailed to all registered members in the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery. The initial invitation was sent in the summer of 2007, with reminders sent at four and eight weeks. E-mails contained a unique identifier, and each member could only respond once to the survey sent to that particular e-mail address.
  
  
  RESULTS
  71.7 percent of the respondents reported that they routinely gave themselves a self-skin examination, 25.4 percent reported a monthly exam, 24.5 percent every six months, 17.2 percent once per year, and 4.6 percent every five years. Performing a self-skin examination was not related to age, gender, or history of skin malignancy. Seventy-six percent of all respondents never had a full-body skin examination conducted by another dermatologist, which persisted when analyzed by age (p = 0.0490) and gender (p = 0.0184).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dermatologists are more likely to perform self-skin examination rather than visit another dermatologist for a full-body skin examination.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Saitta
authors.forename: David E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Darrell
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rigel
authors.forename: Steven K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Grekin
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Brancaccio