Bridging the digital divide among advanced age skin cancer patients

Deconstructing traditional dermatology mentorship paradigms in the digital age

“…2 Launay et al also stated that although the decrease was not as marked as for head lice at the beginning of the pandemic period, the rate of scabies also decreased significantly, and they suggested that this decrease was because the patients stayed at home under strict quarantine conditions. By contrast, both in our study 2 and in other studies in Turkey, 3 there was a significant increase in the rates of scabies compared with the number of all outpatient clinics, especially a few months after the onset of the pandemic. Kutlu et al 4 periodically followed the rates of scabies patients during the pandemic period in Turkey, and observed a sudden increase in the incidence of scabies 2 months after the start of the pandemic.…”

“…Like other authors, we attributed the decrease in the number of applications to a healthcare provider to various reasons, and the fact that patients with scabies preferred to request treatment for severe itching at outpatient clinics despite the quarantine. [3][4][5] Although nearly 2 years have passed since the start of the pandemic, we observed a significant increase in the number of patients presenting with scabies once quarantine conditions were eased. The increase in referrals to tertiary outpatient clinics is probably due to resistance to topical drugs.…”

“…1 In reply, Butt and Butt insightfully explored the complexity of the mentor-mentee relationship, reminding us that mentors not only provide educational supervision, but also help trainees to navigate a diverse realm of adjacent topics, from personal development to systemic racism. 2 In context of the increasingly digital age ushered in by the pandemic, 3 we continue this conversation by critically re-evaluating traditional mentorship paradigms as they pertain to dermatology.…”

Health literacy strategies to improve engagement of Merkel cell carcinoma patients in their care

“…The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the rise of online health education tools and telehealth platforms, expanding the reach of providers beyond the constraints of traditional clinical settings. 1 This rapid expansion of digital technology has introduced an unprecedented amount of health information within reach of patients. With convenient access to online health educational materials (HEMs), patients can stay informed about their health conditions and treatment choices.…”

“… 3 Innovative digital health tools have been designed to optimize skin cancer management and treatment. 1 However, advanced age patients utilize these digital health tools the least among all age groups, despite being those who may benefit the most. 1 Prior studies have recommended the need to bridge this “digital divide” by improving readability and accessibility of health information from electronic sources.…”