Incidence of Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer in the Uninsured

Abstract

Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is a common reason for outpatient primary care visits. Uninsured patients may be at a higher risk for NMSC due to lack of access to health care and a possible increased risk of sun exposure due to insecure housing. The true incidence of NMSC in this population is unknown. In order to determine the population's incidence of NMSC we performed a retrospective chart review on all patients (n = 656) seen at the Lubbock Impact Free Clinic from July 1, 2014 through July 30, 2015. This highlighted an increased incidence of NMSC in our uninsured population (1.4% [9/656]), particularly in the 50-64 age range (2.8% [7/250]) when compared with the general United States population (0.65%-1.05%). We believe that skin care education and routine skin cancer screening should be emphasized in the care of these patients due to their increased risk.