Skin Cancer Screening Education Study (SCSES)

The overall aim of this population-based screening study is to assess whether the skin cancer screening training of family physicians and dermatologists leads to improved screening outcomes. The training course aims to increase the accuracy of detecting early stages of skin cancer. Screening outcomes of an intervention region (Calgary, Canada) in which physicians receive training will be compared with screening outcomes of a control region (Edmonton, Canada) where no physician training is administered. The investigators will determine whether: clinical screening outcomes are more favorable in the group of trained physicians compared to non trained physicians there is an increase of knowledge about skin cancer screening among trained physicians, compared to non trained physicians skin cancer screenings are associated with psycho-social harms population-based screening has an effect on the overall incidence and stage-specific-incidence of skin cancer in Alberta The investigators are aiming to recruit 100 physicians per region (total of 200 physicians) who will screen 40,000 to 80,000 individuals over a period of 20 months.

Recruited family physicians and dermatologists in Calgary, Canada, take part in a 5.5-hour face-to-face skin cancer screening training program. Screening for skin cancer will be conducted by trained physicians according to instructions they received in the training program.

Recruited family physicians and dermatologists in Edmonton, Canada, WILL BE TRAINED AFTER THE SCREENING PHASE, i.e. during the screening phase non-trained physicians will carry out skin cancer screenings according to standard medical practice.

Topics of the 5.5-hour in-class course include: the screening test, types of skin cancer (signs and symptoms), case history taking, epidemiology of skin cancer, etiology, risk factors and risk groups, communicative aspects of primary and secondary preventive measures, and benefits and harms of cancer screenings.

Educational outcomes of physicians will be measured pre- and post-training using knowledge tests in the intervention and control region

month 1 pre-training (intervention and control region), month 1 post-training (intervention region only), and month 12 (both regions)

Number needed to screen (NNS) to identify 1 skin tumor and number needed to excise (NNE) to identify 1 skin tumor

Case report forms will be analyzed to determine clinical screening outcomes such as the NNS, NNE and tumor thickness.

Inclusion Criteria: Screenees Male and female residents of Alberta mainly living and receiving care in Edmonton or in Calgary Age 20+ English-speaking Individuals who consent to participate Physicians Registered dermatologists and family physicians administering care either in Edmonton or in Calgary English-speaking Physicians who consent to participate Exclusion Criteria: Physicians who have undergone special training in skin cancer screening within the last 2 years