Reasons to seek medical attention for a skin check-up: the layman's perspective.

BACKGROUND

The incidence of cutaneous malignant melanoma has increased rapidly in Sweden during the last 20 years. One way of reducing mortality is through early diagnosis. The aim of this study was to explore the reasons why different people seek medical attention for pigmented skin lesions, using a qualitative approach.

METHODS

Three groups of laymen (N=90), all with varying experience of pigmented skin lesions, were interviewed.

RESULTS

Most of the respondents had sought medical attention primarily because they were worried about a specific skin lesion. Patients with melanoma mentioned concern about very dark skin lesions more often than other respondents did. Encouragement by family and friends was also important.

CONCLUSION

Very dark coloration in pigmented skin lesions might be added to public recommendations for early discovery of melanoma. No other new nonmedical feature or circumstance was identified when the results were compared with two established systems for clinical diagnosis of melanoma (the ABCD criteria and the seven-point checklist).