ABSTRACT
Background: With malignant melanoma incidence rates at a historic national high and greater tumor thickness being the most significant prognostic determinant, early lesion detection and treatment remain the most crucial factors for improving health outcomes.
Objective: The aim of this study was to design and pilot a survey instrument to document patients' perceived barriers to dermatology care access.
Methods: A retrospective, descriptive design and a convenience sample of 50 adult participants via a conceptually derived survey were used. Data analyses included descriptive statistics and frequencies; the survey was designed to be analyzed in a subsequent study with other types of data that were not collected as part of this pilot.
Results: Twenty-one (42%) of participants reported receipt of dermatology care, five (10%) reported no care, and 24 (48%) did not respond to this question. Overall, 30 surveys (60%) were returned incomplete to varying degrees.
Limitations: Limitations included a small sample size from a homogenous population with access to dermatology care. The reliability and validity of this tool were not evaluated.
Conclusions: It was unclear whether lower completion rates were attributed to the survey or study design, but several research-driven suggestions were made that may be helpful in improving this tool for future use.