Background: Skin cancer is an increasing worldwide public health concern. Rates of melanoma and skin cancer continue to rise worldwide, creating a significant public health need for detection. In 2003, nearly 54,000 Americans were diagnosed with melanoma with an expected 7,700 deaths. The visual skin exam is an effective secondary prevention tool in detecting melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer and may be implemented in occupational medical clinics.
Methods: Applying the results of a comprehensive literature review of skin cancer screening efforts in communities and workplaces to occupational medicine.
Results: Skin cancer screening efforts have identified high-risk populations for melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer and may detect suspicious lesions early.
Conclusions: Occupational physicians may be the only healthcare provider with the opportunity to screen a high-risk population, particularly males over age 50. Integrating a skin examination into pre-employment or periodic examinations would expend minimal time and funds while potentially preventing worker morbidity and mortality. Screening for skin cancer at the workplace may also fulfill a public health need. The integration of skin cancer screening into occupational medicine may simultaneously improve worker health and increase the value of the occupational medicine physician.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PITT/oai:PITTETD:etd-05272005-124627 |
| Date | 08 July 2005 |
| Creators | Lampel, Heather P |
| Contributors | Matthew Zirwas, MD, Joseph Schwerha, MD, MPH, Lawrence Keller, CIH |
| Publisher | University of Pittsburgh |
| Source Sets | University of Pittsburgh |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://etd.library.pitt.edu/ETD/available/etd-05272005-124627/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to University of Pittsburgh or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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