Brief report: an empirically derived educational program for detecting and preventing skin cancer

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Public Health Education

Background:

• Skin cancer, including melanoma, is increasing at an alarming rate.
• Knowledge gaps exist regarding skin cancer recognition, prevention, and early detection among students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess current knowledge of skin cancer among college and high-school students.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of an educational program in improving skin cancer knowledge.
• To determine knowledge retention after a 2-week follow-up period.

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire was administered to assess baseline knowledge.
• An educational program was implemented to address identified knowledge deficiencies.
• Follow-up assessments were conducted at 2 weeks to measure knowledge retention.

Main Results:

• Students demonstrated limited knowledge of skin cancer recognition and prevention, with high-school students showing slightly better understanding than college students.
• Significant improvements in knowledge regarding risk factors, preventive measures, and warning signs were observed post-intervention.
• While some knowledge decay occurred at the 2-week follow-up, overall knowledge levels remained significantly elevated compared to baseline.

Conclusions:

• Educational interventions can effectively enhance students' understanding of skin cancer.
• The findings suggest a broader need for preventive skin cancer education in the general population due to rising melanoma rates.
• Targeted educational programs are crucial for improving public awareness and promoting early detection of skin cancer.