Increasing Melanoma Screening Among Hispanic/Latino Americans: A Community-Based Educational Intervention

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Dermatology
• Health Disparities

Background:

• Melanoma incidence is rising among Hispanic/Latino populations in California.
• Rural Hispanic/Latino communities face unique barriers to healthcare access and cancer screening.
• Socioeconomic factors and occupational sun exposure contribute to melanoma risk in this demographic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and evaluate a community-based melanoma prevention and screening education program.
• To assess the impact of the intervention on knowledge, risk awareness, and self-efficacy for skin self-examination among rural Hispanics/Latinos.

Main Methods:

• A community-based participatory approach was used in a rural area of North San Diego County.
• Bilingual lay health workers delivered 10-15 minute educational sessions on melanoma at a community health fair.
• Pre- and post-intervention surveys (N=34) were analyzed using Pearson chi-square tests to measure changes in knowledge and self-efficacy.

Main Results:

• Significant increases in participants' knowledge about melanoma were observed post-intervention.
• Risk awareness regarding melanoma significantly improved after the educational sessions.
• Self-efficacy for performing skin self-examinations showed a significant increase.

Conclusions:

• Community-based educational interventions delivered by lay health workers can effectively enhance melanoma awareness and self-screening practices.
• Hispanics/Latinos in low socioeconomic strata may be at moderate to high risk for melanoma due to factors like low income, education, occupational sun exposure, and limited healthcare access.
• Targeted outreach and culturally sensitive education are crucial for addressing health disparities in melanoma prevention within vulnerable populations.