Video education to improve recognition of common benign and malignant cutaneous lesions and skin cancer prevention in the public

Abstract

ObjectiveAlthough dermatologists strive to provide patient education on sun protection and skin cancer, approximately 90% of Americans have limited health literacy skills. Little has been written about the means to best teach all levels of learners to recognize common benign and malignant skin lesions. Earlier work found that with advancing age, adults were less able to identify concerning lesions, thus underscoring the need for accessible education.MethodsWe showed subjects a brief video (7th grade level) about common cutaneous growths, reducing the risk of skin cancer, and the importance of early detection. Subjects were asked about their skin cancer history, educational format preference, and the perceived impact of the video. Comprehension of symptoms of skin cancer and the benefits of sunscreen use and the ability to identify a melanoma, nevus, angioma, and seborrheic keratosis were also assessed.ResultsOf the 156 subjects, mean age 52.7 years (range, 18-88 years), 31% had a history of skin cancer. A total of 98.7% found the video to be helpful; 92% preferred having a video as part of their teaching versus 9% who preferred written materials alone, 99% knew that a new or changing lesion could signal skin cancer, and 100% correctly answered that wearing sunscreen is protective. Subjects correctly identified lesions as melanoma (99%), benign mole (97%), angiomas (96%), and seborrheic keratosis (91%). There was a nominal trend toward higher scores in people who preferred video learning, had no history of skin cancer, and were older than 60 years of age.ConclusionIn this study, we found that a brief, plain-language video was effective at conveying understandable content to help subjects learn to identify common cancerous and benign skin growths while also teaching them strategies to protect against skin cancer.

From the Core to the Floor—Utilizing a Webinar to Provide Pelvic Health Education

“…Further, the knowledge improvements coupled with women's perceptions prior to the webinar suggest women are not receiving enough information prior to childbirth. This is consistent with previous findings that suggest women are receiving minimal information about their pelvic floor during pregnancy 18. Research is also needed to determine whether sharing this education prior to childbirth results in earlier symptom identification and treatment seeking.…”

“…Webinars have become a well-established tool in patient education. They have been linked to improved symptom recognition for a variety of health issues and deemed a feasible and cost-efficient education strategy 18,19. Our findings suggest webinars could serve as a beneficial supplement for providing pelvic health information to postpartum women.…”

“…They have been linked to improved symptom recognition for a variety of health issues and deemed a feasible and cost-efficient education strategy. 18,19 Our findings suggest webinars could serve as a beneficial supplement for providing pelvic health information to postpartum women. This is critical as many women appear to be getting pelvic health information from illegitimate sources.…”

“…This is consistent with previous findings that suggest women are receiving minimal information about their pelvic floor during pregnancy. 18 Research is also needed to determine whether sharing this education prior to childbirth results in earlier symptom identification and treatment seeking.…”

Patient Education on Scarring Following Mohs Micrographic Surgery: Patient Preference for Information Delivery

“…1,2 There are multiple modalities for patient education ranging from written to audiovisual formats; however, minimal evidence exists regarding which modality is optimal. [3][4][5] Written handouts have historically been favored because of permanent and recallable information for patients. 6 However, with the advances in technology, studies show videos to be more effective and preferred because of improved comprehension.…”