The incidence of skin cancer, including basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma, is rising in the United States. Thorough skin self-examination (TSSE) is crucial for identifying new or recurrent melanomas. While widely promoted for early detection, variability in its definition and limited research on TSSE intention in at-risk adults indicate an ongoing need to better understand its correlates. This study aimed to examine demographic, psychosocial, attitudinal, and behavioral correlates of TSSE intention among adults at increased risk for skin cancer using the Health Belief Model. Participants ( n = 319) were recruited via Amazon Mechanical Turk and screened through Qualtrics to meet eligibility criteria for at-risk populations (e.g., skin type, mole count, or family history of melanoma, excluding those with a personal history of skin cancer). A hierarchical multivariable regression analysis was performed to examine the variables associated with TSSE intent. The sample was composed of participants with an average age of 37 years, and 56.4% were female, while 60.1% identified as non-Hispanic White. Demographic factors and behavioral history had minimal impact on TSSE intentions, while psychosocial factors and attitudes emerged as strong correlates. In particular, perceived risk of skin cancer ( p < 0.05, β = 0.340), perceived self-efficacy ( p = 0.021, β = 0.134), skin cancer-related fear ( p < 0.05, β = 0.129), and social influences ( p < 0.05, β = 0.191) were all significantly associated with TSSE intentions. Attitudes, including perceived benefits ( p < 0.05, β = 0.199) and barriers to TSSE ( p < 0.05, β = -0.405), were also significantly associated with TSSE intention. The regression model was statistically significant and explained 43.1% of the variance in TSSE intention ( R 2 = 0.431, p < 0.001). This study highlights perceived risk, perceived self-efficacy, social influences, skin cancer-related fear, and benefits and barriers as important correlates of TSSE intention among individuals at increased risk for skin cancer. These findings have the potential to inform tailored interventions to improve the early detection of skin cancer.
Iyer et al. (Thu,) studied this question.