A pilot study using nurse education as an intervention to increase skin self-examination for melanoma

Abstract

Background: A pilot study of an intervention using nurse education for skin self-examination (SSE) was conducted in order to determine specific factors that would be important for the design of a larger intervention.

Methods: Seventy-five subjects completed a pretest, a posttest, a thorough skin examination by a dermatologist, and an educational session by a nurse.

Results: Results showed that the subjects increased the frequency of SSE to a predetermined optimal frequency of once every one to two months. Increases in optimal SSE were associated with increases in knowledge about melanoma (p = 0.006).

Conclusions: Before intensive campaigns are launched to improve SSE, models incorporating theories of behavioral change should be tested.