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The Pennsylvania State University (PENNSTATE)

Status

Completed

Conditions

Dermatology/Skin - Other
Health Behavior
Sunburn

Treatments

Behavioral: Addressing Behavior Change (ABC)

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other
NIH

Identifiers

NCT03489356
182279
R21CA196924 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

The present study explores the ability of dermatologists to influence patients' behavior using a novel and brief (3 minute) behavioral intervention in the context of naturally occurring patient interactions and shows promise for long term sustainability. The incidence of invasive skin cancers, cutaneous melanoma in particular, has nearly tripled in the U.S. between 1975 and 2004, making it the fastest rising incidence rate for all cancers in the United States. Dermatologists are in an ideal position to effect change in their patients. The present study will assess whether a brief intervention (The ABC-Addressing Behavior Change method) delivered to patients by dermatologists during a skin examination will increase the use of sun protection and reduce risk behaviors compared to patients who receive treatment as usual.

Full description

Skin cancer is the most common malignancy in the U.S. and the incidence and mortality from skin cancer is on the rise. Individuals can decrease their risk of skin cancer by engaging in protective behaviors such as limiting intentional and unintentional UV exposure, and wearing broad-spectrum sunscreens and protective clothing. Despite knowing the risks and receiving dermatological care, many patients with and without a history of skin cancer frequently forget to use UV protection or fail to use it in an optimal manner to reduce their UV risk. To address these concerns, Mallett and colleagues developed a 3-minute brief ABC intervention - Addressing Behavior Change. The ABC intervention is designed to be delivered by dermatologists in the context of a routine office visit involving a skin examination. Previous work by Mallett and colleagues showed dermatologists were highly motivated to deliver the intervention, quickly learned the requisite skills, delivered the intervention with fidelity, and showed minimal decay in knowledge, motivation, and skills over a 6-month period. This study builds on a previous study by conducting an examination of the efficacy of the ABC intervention on patients' motivations and behaviors utilizing a prospective longitudinal design.

Enrollment

186 patients

Sex

All

Ages

21 to 65 years old

Volunteers

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

  • scheduled for a skin exam with participating dermatologists

Exclusion criteria

  • psoriasis

Trial design

Primary purpose

Prevention

Allocation

Randomized

Interventional model

Parallel Assignment

Masking

Single Blind

186 participants in 2 patient groups

Intervention
Experimental group
Description:
Addressing Behavior Change (ABC) intervention delivery method
Treatment:
Behavioral: Addressing Behavior Change (ABC)
Control
No Intervention group
Description:
Control

Trial documents
1

Trial contacts and locations

1

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Data sourced from clinicaltrials.gov

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