Prevalence and correlates of skin self-examination practices among cutaneous malignant melanoma survivors.

ABSTRACT: Melanoma patients are at elevated risk for recurrence of the primary cancer as well as second primary melanomas. Regular skin self-examination (SSE) is recommended as part of follow-up surveillance. In this study, we examined SSE performance and comprehensiveness as well as knowledge and attitudinal correlates of SSE performance and comprehensiveness. Four hundred forty-one melanoma survivors completed measures of SSE performance as well as knowledge and attitudes about SSE and melanoma. Approximately two-thirds of the sample reported having conducted an SSE in the past two months; the average number of body parts examined was 10.64 (out of 15 maximum). Only 7.5% of the sample checked all 15 body parts. Greater worry about recurrence, fewer barriers to SSE, more planning for when to conduc

SUBMITTER: Manne SL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7240727 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature