Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
Volume 59, Issue 1 , Pages 55-63, July 2008

Reported skin cancer screening of US adult workers

  • William G. LeBlanc, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
    • ,
  • Liat Vidal, MD, MSc

      Affiliations

    • Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
    • ,
  • Robert S. Kirsner, MD, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
    • Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
    • ,
  • David J. Lee, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
    • Department of Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
    • ,
  • Alberto J. Caban-Martinez, MPH

      Affiliations

    • Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
    • ,
  • Kathryn E. McCollister, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
    • ,
  • Kristopher L. Arheart, EdD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
    • ,
  • Katherine Chung-Bridges, MD, MPH

      Affiliations

    • Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
    • ,
  • Sharon Christ, MS

      Affiliations

    • Odum Institute for Research in Social Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
    • Department of Sociology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
    • ,
  • John Clark III, BS

      Affiliations

    • Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
    • ,
  • John E. Lewis, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Psychiatry, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
    • ,
  • Evelyn P. Davila, MPH

      Affiliations

    • Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
    • ,
  • Panta Rouhani, MPH

      Affiliations

    • Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
    • ,
  • Lora E. Fleming, MD, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
    • Department of Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests: Lora E. Fleming, MD, PhD, Departments of Epidemiology & Public Health and Marine Biology & Fisheries, Miller School of Medicine and Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Clinical Research Building, 10th Floor (R669), 1120 NW 14th Street, Miami, FL 33136.

Accepted 10 March 2008. published online 25 April 2008.

Background

Early detection of skin cancer by skin examination may reduce its associated morbidity and mortality, in particular for workers routinely exposed to sun.

Objectives

We sought to describe the proportion of US workers reporting skin cancer screening examination in a representative sample of the US worker population in the National Health Interview Survey.

Methods

Report of skin cancer examination in the 2000 and 2005 National Health Interview Survey cancer control supplements were examined by a range of variables.

Results

Lifetime and 12-month reported clinical skin examination prevalence was 15% and 8%, respectively. Workers with elevated occupational exposure to ultraviolet light were less likely to have ever received a skin examination than the average US worker. Logistic regression analysis identified occupational category and age, sex, race, education level, health insurance, and sun-protective behavior as significant independent correlates of skin cancer examination.

Limitations

A limitation is potential healthy worker effect and underestimation of skin cancer screening with self-reported data.

Conclusions

Routine examination by primary care physicians frequently does not include a thorough skin examination. Physicians should be even more vigilant with patients at increased risk of excessive occupational sun exposure, as early detection of skin cancer by periodic skin examination decreases morbidity and can improve survival.

Abbreviations used: AAD, American Academy of Dermatology, ACS, American Cancer Society, NCHS, National Center for Health Statistics, NHIS, National Health Interview Survey, NIOSH, National Institute on Occupational Safety and Health, NORA, National Occupational Research Agenda, UV, ultraviolet

 

 Supported in part from the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (R01 OH03915).

 Conflicts of interest: None declared.

 Data for the NHIS were originally collected and prepared by the US Department of Health and Human Services and the NCHS. The NCHS does not bear any responsibility for the analyses or interpretations presented in this publication.

PII: S0190-9622(08)00301-0

doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2008.03.013

Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
Volume 59, Issue 1 , Pages 55-63, July 2008