title: Racial differences in skin cancer awareness and surveillance practices at a public hospital dermatology clinic.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients from ethnoracial minority groups have lower incidence rates of melanoma compared with whites, but are more likely to have advanced melanomas at diagnosis and lower survival. Infrequent skin cancer screening and poor melanoma awareness may contribute to these disparities.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this survey study was to evaluate skin cancer surveillance behaviors and awareness among patients attending a dermatology clinic at a public hospital in New York City.
  
  
  METHODS
  Surveys were administered to 152 patients from April to June 2012.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all, 16% of patients previously had a total body skin examination for cancer, 11% were taught by a health care practitioner how to perform skin self-examinations, and 15% perform skin self-examinations. More whites had a total body skin examination compared with minorities (49% vs 5%). Only 33% of patients previously given a diagnosis of skin cancer performed skin self-examinations. Patients possessed a poor ability to recognize features suspicious for melanoma, with minorities (especially Hispanics) performing worse than whites.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Small sample size is a limitation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Few patients engage in skin cancer screening behaviors and their knowledge about melanoma is poor, with minorities demonstrating lower understanding than whites. Our findings emphasize the need for improved patient education about characteristics of melanoma, regardless of race.
authors: Department of Dermatology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York. Electronic address: dorota.korta@med.nyu.edu.
authors: Dorota Z
authors: DZ
authors: Korta
authors: Department of Dermatology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York.
authors: Vishal
authors: V
authors: Saggar
authors: Department of Dermatology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York.
authors: Timothy P
authors: TP
authors: Wu
authors: Department of Dermatology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York.
authors: Miguel
authors: M
authors: Sanchez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006306:Health Surveys; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009519:New York City; D015995:Prevalence; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014505:Urban Population; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Hispanic; early detection; education; melanoma; minority; screening; skin cancer