Skin Cancer Screening and Education at Beaches

Summary

This study was an evaluation of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Blum Family Resource Center Van's existing skin cancer screening and education program. This program occurred over 2 summers. This study will fill a critical gap in the investigators' knowledge about how best to address the high-risk behaviors that regularly occur during the summertime at beaches. The investigators randomized beaches to receive different combinations of the van program components in order to determine how services should optimally be configured to maximize impact. The investigators hypothesized that providing all three components (1-Skin cancer prevention education; 2-Biometric feedback using a Dermascan Analyzer that illustrates skin damage due to sun exposure and Ultra Violet (UV) Reflectance Photography; and 3-Dermatologist skin exam) will maximize knowledge and behavior change, relative to education alone.

Conditions

• Skin Cancer

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

education about sun protection

This comprehensive education program included a visit with a health educator, on the education van, who gave education about sun safety.

BEHAVIORAL

biometric feedback

Participants received biometric feedback using a Dermascan Analyzer and Ultra Violet (UV) Reflectance Photography. The Dermascan Analyzer is an educational tool that enhances visibility of skin texture, markings or lesions and is commonly used in health fairs and at schools all over the country. The analyzer highlights the sun damage on the participants skin as dark purple blotches, which the participants are able to see in the mirror placed inside the analyzer. Ultra Violet (UV) Reflectance Photography provides participants with a visual image of their skin damage that can be taken with them.

OTHER

dermatologist skin exam

Full body skin exam.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• The Shilling SHADE Foundation of America

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• University of Massachusetts, Amherst

  collaborator OTHER

• Harvard Medical School (HMS and HSDM)

  collaborator OTHER

• Brigham and Women's Hospital

  collaborator OTHER

• Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Karen M Emmons, PhD · Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2007-01-31

Primary Completion

2008-11-30

Completion

2008-11-30

Countries

• United States

Study Locations