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Prevalence of Recent Skin Examinations in US Worker

Groups: The NHIS

OBJECTIVES/BACKGROUND• Strong link between ultraviolet (UV) light

exposure and various forms of skin cancer. • Objective: Prevalence of reported skin

examination among US workers with access to medical care, particularly among occupations with high occupational UV exposure.

LeBlanc WG, Fleming LE, Lee D, Christ SL, Chung-Bridges K, Caban A, Arheart K, Pitman T.

Dept Epidemiology & Public Health (University of Miami Miller School of Medicine), Odum Research Institute (UNC Chapel Hill, NC)

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Methods

National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) Multipurpose and multistage area

probability cross-sectional survey of US population

2000 NHIS Cancer Control Module Among current workers who had

visited a healthcare provider < 12 months

Reported prevalence of receiving a skin examination

By 41 occupation and evaluated by gender, race, and ethnicity

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Results

Study population estimated 128,480,200 US workers 18% reported no healthcare provider contact in the

previous 12 months 13% (range 4%-31%) ever had a skin examination Workers with elevated occupational exposure to UV

light were less likely to have a skin examination than average US worker Higher UV Exposure, Lower Exam Likelihood:

Farm operators and managers (11%) Construction and extractive trades (7%) Farm workers and other agriculture workers (6%) Forestry and fishing occupations (5%) Construction laborers (4%)

Lower UV Exposure, Higher Exam Likelihood : Health diagnosing professions (31%), Other professional specialty occupations (24%) Health assessment/treating occupations (22%)

Variations in the reported access to skin examination further differed among occupations in the presence or absence of health insurance.

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Conclusion/Recommendations

• Regular skin examination by a healthcare provider, particularly among highly UV exposed workers, can be preventative and curative for skin cancer

• Lack of preventive care among US workers has substantial implications for their occupational health and for the ultimate cost of their medical care for US society

Thank you / Questions?Thank you / Questions?