Skin cancer in Germany: Characterising screening, prevalence and mortality from a spatial perspective

Aim of the study was to characterise the association between screening, prevalence and mortality of skin cancer in Germany considering the spatial distribution. The study included the total set of outpatient data of all statutory health insured people and cause-of-death statistics in Germany between 2011-2015 on county level. To identify regions with high/low screening, prevalence and mortality rates, probability maps were calculated. Scenarios were developed based on the research questions. These were used to identify regions that share both high/low rates of screening, prevalence and mortality. Regression analyses were used to characterise these regions, taking into account sociodemographic characteristics. Significant regional variations in prevalence, screening and mortality in Germany were identified. Depending on the scenario, influences of sociodemographic conditions become apparent. For example, a lower income (p = 0.006) and poorer accessibility of the closest dermatologist (p = 0.03) predicted a lower prevalence of and fewer screenings for skin cancer. In regions with low screening and high mortality, significant (p = 0.03) associations with the educational status of the population were also found. The study identified the first spatial associations between screening, prevalence and mortality of skin cancer in Germany. The results indicate that regional population-related characteristics (e.g., sociodemographic characteristics) play an important role in explaining the associations and should be given more weight in further studies. However, further studies, particularly on the spatial variation of skin cancer mortality, are still necessary.