The Association Between Mental Health and Skin Cancer: Data Analysis (Preprint)

UNSTRUCTURED This study examines the relationship between mental health and skin cancer using data from the 2023 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), a nationally representative survey of adults in the United States. In the sample of 315,887 participants, the analysis examined the link between getting diagnosed with skin cancer and two key mental health outcomes: clinical depression and the number of poor mental health days while adapting to sociodemographic variables such as age, sex, race, education, BMI, and income. According to the findings of this study, individuals with a history of skin cancer reported a greater number of poor mental health days, despite being slightly less likely to report a formal diagnosis of depression. These results show the great importance of incorporating mental health screenings and support services into dermatological and oncological care. This highlights the need for a more comprehensive approach when treating patients with skin cancer.