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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2008 Jun;58(6):1006-12.
doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2008.03.008. Epub 2008 Apr 11.

Components of a successful intervention for monthly skin self-examination for early detection of melanoma: the "Check It Out" trial

Katherine B Lee  1 , Martin A Weinstock, Patricia M Risica
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Components of a successful intervention for monthly skin self-examination for early detection of melanoma: the "Check It Out" trial

Katherine B Lee et al. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2008 Jun.

Abstract

Background: Multicomponent Check-It-Out project interventions were found to be effective at increasing thorough skin self-examinations (TSSE). Application of this research will benefit from determining the most important interventions for promoting TSSE.

Objective: Identification of the most important Check-It-Out intervention components for promoting TSSE.

Methods: This study analyzed the responses of the 567 participants who were randomized into the skin examination intervention group and who did not report performing TSSE at their baseline interview.

Results: Watching the video, using the hand mirror, shower card, American Cancer Society brochure, sample photographs, and finding the health educator helpful were associated with performing TSSE at 2 months, 12 months, or both.

Limitations: Use of the materials within the skin group was not randomly assigned. All data were based on participant self-report.

Conclusions: As future interventions to increase TSSE are developed, the identified useful components will be important to include.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest Disclosure: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Helpfulness of health educator and letters
Notes: Fifty-eight percent of respondents felt the materials would not have worked the same if they were received without a health educator meeting. Sixty-seven percent of respondents received and read the follow up letters.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. American Cancer Society. Cancer facts and figures 2007. [Accessed November 28, 2007]. Available at: www.cancer.org/downloads/STT/CAFF2007PWSecured.pdf.
    1. Weinstock MA. Early detection of melanoma. JAMA. 2000;284:886–889. - PubMed
    1. Martin RA, Weinstock MA, Risica PM, Smith K, Rakowski W. Factors associated with thorough skin self-examination for the early detection of melanoma. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2007;21:1074–1081. - PubMed
    1. Weinstock MA, Risica PM, Martin RA, Rakowski W, Dube C, Berwick M, et al. Melanoma early detection with thorough skin self-examination: the "Check It Out" randomized trial. Am J Prev Med. 2007;32:517–524. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Weinstock MA, Risica PM, Martin RA, Rakowski W, Smith KJ, Berwick M, et al. Reliability of assessment and circumstances of performance of thorough skin self-examination for the early detection of melanoma in the Check-It-Out Project. Prev Med. 2004;38:761–765. - PubMed

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