Enhancing Skin Cancer Prevention and Awareness in the Italian Population: Insights from the “Save Your Skin” Screening Campaign
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: INTRODUCTION: Skin cancer prevention campaigns aim to reduce modifiable risk factors, yet high-risk groups often maintain inadequate protection practices. OBJECTIVES: This study analyzed data from Italy's 2023 "Save Your Skin" campaign, which provided free skin checks nationwide. METHODS: Data from 1,773 participants across 29 centers in 13 regions were collected to assess sun exposure, photoprotection habits, and skin cancer awareness, identifying gaps in prevention efforts. RESULTS: Most participants were female (70.16%), with a median age of 36, and 96.61% were born in Italy. While 71.24% joined for prevention reasons, others participated due to changes in a nevus (12.35%) or personal (2.31%) or family (7.33%) history of skin cancer. Self-assessments of nevi often did not align with dermatologists' evaluations, but family and personal history reporting was more accurate. Participants showed confusion about nevi and melanoma: only 52.7% correctly identified nevi as benign, while 67.2% recognized melanoma as malignant. On average, participants answered 1.57 out of three knowledge questions correctly, with those having a family or personal history of skin cancer performing better. High-risk sun exposure behaviors were identified in 37.78% of participants. Older adults used sunscreen less frequently but relied more on hats and shade, while younger individuals reported less sun exposure at work. Notably, participants with actinic damage demonstrated lower awareness and provided fewer correct answers on photoprotection. CONCLUSIONS: These findings underscore the need for targeted public health strategies to improve education on skin cancer prevention, particularly among high-risk and older populations.
Authors: Paola Savoia, Laura Cristina Gironi, Chiara Airoldi, Francesca Zottarelli, Mauro Alaibac, Marco Ardigò, Giuseppe Argenziano, Stefano Astorino, Francesco Bellinato, Luca Bianchi, Maurizio Congedo, Claudia Costa, Alessandro Di Stefani, Maria Concetta Fargnoli, Caterina Foti, Pasquale Frascione, Giampiero Girolomoni, Vieri Grandi, Fabrizio Guarneri, Katharina Hansel, Francesco Lacarruba, Serena Lembo, Angelo Valerio Marzano, Giuseppe Micali, Steven Paul Nisticò, Annamaria Offidani, Ketty Peris, Bianca Maria Piraccini, Pietro Quaglino, Marco Romanelli, Franco Rongioletti, Pietro Rubegni, Camilla Salvini, Massimiliano Scalvenzi, Paolo Sena, Marco Spadafora, Carlo Francesco Tomasini, Marina Venturini, Elisa Zavattaro
Institutions: Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale “Amedeo Avogadro”, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Maggiore della Carita, University of Padua, San Gallicano Hospital, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata Verona, Policlinico Tor Vergata, Ospedale Vito Fazzi, Federico II University Hospital, University of Naples Federico II, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Agostino Gemelli University Polyclinic, Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, University of L'Aquila, Azienda Universitaria Ospedaliera Consorziale - Policlinico Bari, Istituti Fisioterapici Ospitalieri, Azienda Usl Toscana Centro, University of Florence, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Policlinico "G. Martino", University of Perugia, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Policlinico "G.Rodolico - San Marco", University of Salerno, AOU San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria "Renato Dulbecco", Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria delle Marche, IRCCS Azienda Ospedliero-Universitaria di Bologna Policlinico di Sant'Orsola, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Ospedale Santa Maria alle Scotte, Ospedale Papa Giovanni XXIII, Azienda Sanitaria Unità Locale di Reggio Emilia, Policlinico San Matteo Fondazione, Azienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale degli Spedali Civili di Brescia
Language: English
Topic: Skin Protection and Aging
Subfield: Dermatology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4409483578