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Abstract
Introduction: Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer and affects an estimated 20% of Americans [1]. Social media has emerged as a widely used and powerful tool for health education in the past decade. Given the rising incidence of skin cancer among young patients, dermatological content on social media can offer information related to skin cancer such as awareness, prevention, and treatment.
Methods: A literature search was conducted to analyze digital interventions aimed at increasing skin cancer awareness and preventative behaviors. Search criteria included interventions delivered through social media and web-based platforms involving all populations. Study designs included systematic reviews, randomized control, and quasi-experimental studies. The time frame was January, 2014 - November 2023.
Results: Relative to control groups, interventions using social media led to enhanced knowledge about skin cancer and reduced favorable views and attitudes toward tanning. Research incorporating various digital formats also showed beneficial impacts on behaviors related to sun protection or skin self-examination [2]. A few articles noted a lack of research on web-based interventions, as well as a lack of evaluative frameworks on the efficacy of these interventions on skin cancer risk awareness and prevention [3,4,5].
Conclusions: Despite the widespread usage of social media platforms and internet-based tools, there is a notable scarcity of interventions that promote skin cancer awareness and protective behaviors. There is a need for more digital interventions and further research to understand the impact of social media on behavior change.