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Detection, treatment, and education related to melanoma have made significant strides in recent years, taking much of the sting out of what was once considered a deadly cancer.
Make no mistake, melanoma remains a serious form of the disease, accounting for the majority of skin cancer deaths. But today, it makes up only 1% of all skin cancers and according to the American Cancer Society, melanoma death rates declined sharply from 2013 to 2017, falling by roughly 6% to 7% per year.
Despite all the advances in the early detection and treatment of melanoma, significant disparities remain in regard to the survival rates among various ethnic groups in the United States. Latinx patients in particular often present with the disease in more advanced stages and generally experience worse outcomes compared with non-Hispanic white patients.
Researchers at Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center set out to change this trend with the help of a targeted social media campaign focused on providing melanoma education to people of Latino heritage.
Dissecting the Disparities
A significant factor in the disparities that exist within the Latinx population is the misconception that Hispanic people are not affected by melanoma and other skin cancers.
While it’s true that having lighter skin does significantly increase one’s chances of developing melanoma – the lifetime risk of the disease among white people is approximately 3%, compared to 0.1% among Black people and 0.5% for those of Hispanic heritage – Latinx people are still at risk for melanoma, including a rare subtype of the disease.
According to the Melanoma Research Alliance, rates of melanoma have increased by more than 20% over the last two decades among Hispanic people.
This perceived low risk of melanoma also extends to healthcare providers, who may overlook melanoma in Latinx patients, by not properly examining areas that rarely receive sun exposure or otherwise failing to detect the signs and symptoms of the disease. This is particularly true of acral melanoma, a rare subtype of the disease that is more prevalent among Latinx people, and a subtype with which some doctors may not be as familiar.
The Campaign
The bilingual campaign, which was detailed in a study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, employed a two-pronged approach to online digital education, using social media ads and email campaigns to engage Latinx audiences in “melanoma awareness activities.”
The team believed that engaging members of the Latinx community through both email and social media represented a well-rounded approach and could help offset some of the inherent challenges associated with each method of digital communication.
“Social media offers an additional strategy to disseminate information cost-effectively to a wide population; however, it can be more challenging to engage patients than email campaigns,” said Collin M. Costello, MD, a dermatologist at Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center in Phoenix in a news release.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the campaign sought to “improve awareness of melanoma risks, encourage sun-protective behaviors and educate Latinx communities on self-skin examinations.”
The campaign emphasized acral melanoma, and included interactive games, detailed information on melanoma risk factors, proven prevention methods, and resources on how to perform examinations.
While language was an important component of the campaign, it was also designed to connect culturally with a Latinx audience in order to effectively reach them with key information and resources.
The campaign also included both a baseline and three-month post-intervention follow-up survey to gauge its effectiveness.
Key Findings
Researchers closely tracked key metrics from both the social media and email components of the campaign, including impressions and clicks.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the study showed “significant increases in sun-protection behaviors at the three-month follow-up compared with baseline,” including the use of sunscreen, examining unusual skin marks, conducting self-exams, and promoting skin checkups.
Encouraged by the findings, the team at Mayo believes the study validates the potential of a targeted, culturally specific digital campaign in positively impacting melanoma awareness and health behaviors. Researchers also believe that the model is scalable and applicable to various other underserved and at-risk populations.
Looking Ahead
While the campaign proved to be an effective intervention when evaluated at the three-month mark, the team also acknowledges the difficulty in continuing to encourage people to remain proactive about their health in the long term via social media and other digital platforms.
To help address this concern, Mayo Clinic plans to develop an automated patient navigator designed to, “improve continuous access to cancer care for underserved communities.”
“Our goal with the automated patient navigator is to guide patients through their care journey, from diagnosis to treatment, while offering support for overcoming logistical and informational hurdles,” said Dr. Costello.
