RESUMEN
Secondary melanoma prevention remains crucial to reduce morbidity and mortality for the 200,000 people in the United States estimated to develop melanoma in 2021. This 3-month randomized controlled trial of online skin self-examination (SSE) education among 1000 at-risk women who received care at Northwestern Medicine in Illinois sought to determine SSE initiation and monthly performance, SSE anxiety and confidence, and health care practitioner (HCP) visits for concerning moles. Positive responses to a personal history of sunburn, a personal or family history of skin cancer, and/or having 10 or more lifetime indoor tanning sessions identified and informed women of their increased risk of melanoma. At one month, 96.2% of women receiving SSE education (SSE women) initiated SSE compared to 48.1% in the active control arm (control) (p < 0.001). More control women sought HCP visits (n = 107) than SSE women (n = 39). Control women seen by HCPs identified benign lesions, especially seborrheic keratosis, more often than SSE women. More atypical nevi (SSE 38.5%, control 8.4%) and melanomas (SSE 25.6%, control 4.7%) were visually identified by SSE women seeing HPCs (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in SSE anxiety between the control and SSE arms. Confidence increased significantly in the SSE arm whereas there was no change in the control group (p < 0.001). Women checked someone else for concerning moles [315/ 494 (63.8%) of SSE women]. Targeting at-risk women for SSE education may help reduce melanoma mortality, especially in rural communities where incidence and mortality are greater than in urban areas.
RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Melanoma is attributable to predisposing phenotypical factors, such as skin that easily sunburns and unprotected exposure to carcinogenic UV radiation. Reducing the proportion of young adults who get sunburned may reduce the incidence of melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer. Advances in technology have enabled the delivery of real-time UV light exposure and content-relevant health interventions. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to examine the feasibility of young adults performing the following tasks daily: wearing a UV dosimeter, receiving text messages and real-time UV-B doses on their smartphone, and responding to daily web-based surveys about sunburn and sun protection. METHODS: Young adults aged 18-39 years (n=42) were recruited in the United States in June 2020 via social media. Participants received the UV Guard sun protection system, which consisted of a UV dosimeter and a smartphone app. During 3 consecutive periods, intervention intensity increased as follows: real-time UV-B dose; UV-B dose and daily behavioral facilitation text messages; and UV-B dose, goal setting, and daily text messages to support self-efficacy and self-regulation. Data were self-reported through daily web-based surveys for 28 days, and UV-B doses were transmitted to cloud-based storage. RESULTS: Patients' median age was 22 years (IQR 20, 29), and all patients had sun-sensitive skin. Sunburns were experienced during the study by fewer subjects (n=18) than those in the preceding 28 days (n=30). In July and August, the face was the most commonly sunburned area among 13 body locations; 52% (22/42) of sunburns occurred before the study and 45% (19/42) occurred during the study. The mean daily UV-B dose decreased during the 3 periods; however, this was not statistically significant. Young adults were most often exercising outdoors from 2 to 6 PM, walking from 10 AM to 6 PM, and relaxing from noon to 2 PM. Sunburn was most often experienced during exercise (odds ratio [OR] 5.65, 95% CI 1.60-6.10) and relaxation (OR 3.69, 95% CI 1.03-4.67) relative to those that did not exercise or relax in each category. The self-reported exit survey indicated that participants felt that they spent less time outdoors this summer compared to the last summer because of the COVID-19 pandemic and work. In addition, 38% (16/42) of the participants changed their use of sun protection based on their app-reported UV exposure, and 48% (20/42) shifted the time they went outside to periods with less-intense UV exposure. A total of 79% (33/42) of the participants were willing to continue using the UV Guard system outside of a research setting. CONCLUSIONS: In this proof-of-concept research, young adults demonstrated that they used the UV Guard system; however, optimization was needed. Although some sun protection behaviors changed, sunburn was not prevented in all participants, especially during outdoor exercise. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03344796; http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03344796.