Free Community Screening Events Improve Access to Dermatological Care in Suffolk County, New York

Melanoma is the fifth most common cancer nationally, with age-adjusted incidence up 63% over the past 30 years. Although early detection of melanoma confers a more favorable prognosis, no national guidelines exist for routine skin cancer screening, and many individuals at risk lack access to routine detection services. This study aimed to quantify the impact of free community skin cancer screening events in improving access to care in Suffolk County, New York, which exhibits one of the highest rates of melanoma in New York State.

We reviewed SPOTMe records of 919 individuals who attended free community skin cancer screening events in Suffolk County, NY, from 2011 to 2023. Data were analyzed regarding race, socioeconomic status, and access to dermatological care.

Free skin cancer screening events helped to overcome a barrier in access to skin cancer detection services or provide care where it would not have otherwise occurred for 54% of attendees. The most frequently cited reasons for attending included "I have a spot I am concerned about" (36%), "no dermatologist" (33%), "family history of skin cancer" (16%), and "no insurance" (14%). Seventy-two percent of attendees did not have a regular dermatologist. Forty-eight percent of attendees had not previously been evaluated for skin cancer. Non-White individuals were more likely than White individuals (OR, 4.80; 95% CI, 2.51-9.19; P < 0.0001) to report that they would not have sought dermatological care elsewhere, with Hispanic individuals at especially heightened risk (OR, 8.38; 95% CI, 3.11-22.60; P < 0.0001). There was no association between likelihood of having a regular dermatologist and sex, race, or education level.

Although our sample size is small, these findings suggest that free community skin cancer events are a powerful tool for improving access to dermatological care, especially for minority populations.