Awareness of educational events for skin cancer prevention as a prerequisite for using specialized dermatology care
Perception of a skin cancer risk among persons exposed to risk factors
7. 10. 2015Evaluation of public usefulness of selected facilities
8. 6. 2016Educational projects geared towards the timely detection of skin cancer (in particular melanoma) are intended, among other goals, to make people sensitive enough to notice the symptoms of cancer and make them prevent the disease. The organisation and format of the education projects is important because, for many people, this is an acceptable form of examination (as opposed to visiting a surgery) that they are willing to take as part of prevention.
The Institute for Evaluation and Social Analyses (INESAN) conducted a research entitled “Evaluation of Social Campaign Effectiveness” in July 2015, research into the rating of educational campaigns aimed at reducing the risk of developing skin cancer. As part of the research, trained interviewers conducted a total of 1,110 in-person interviews with respondents. Interviewees aged 18 to 64 were included in the sample using the quota selection approach. The reviewed sample represents the basic population in terms of gender, age, size of the municipality of residence and region. The selection method is based on the current figures from the Czech Statistical Office.
Two-fifths of the interviewees are aware of an educational project as part of which one can take a preventive examination of skin marks in order to reduce the risk of developing skin cancer. Research results show that, from the respondents’ viewpoint, the riskiness of their own behaviour as such is not reason enough for them to see a dermatologist. The tendency to see a specialist is only apparent in connection with knowing that a specific educational event is taking place. For the respondents who are not aware of any educational events, the relation between the perception of risk and a visit to a dermatologist has not been demonstrated.
The higher a respondent’s education, the greater their knowledge of an educational project. Hence, 34 % of people with primary education, 36 % of people with secondary education without a school-leaving exam, 41 % of people with secondary education with a school-leaving exam, and 50 % of university graduates are aware of a specific educational project. Women are more often aware (50 %) than men (29 %). The relation to age was not demonstrated.
Last but not least, the relation between the awareness of an educational project and seeing a dermatologist is only apparent with certain groups of citizens. When it comes to men, the relation to the awareness of an educational event offering skin mark examination was not noted, whereas with women this relation is apparent. 16 % of women aware of an educational event saw a dermatologist recently, whereas just 4 % of men visited a dermatologist recently.