Comparing the efficacy of an in-person intervention with a skin self-examination workbook.

F rom 1992 to 2004, melanoma incidence for all categories of tumor thickness increased 3.1% annually, and there was a 3.8% annual increase in the thickest cancers (Breslow depth, 4 mm), which have the least favorable prognosis. Since most melanomas are discovered by the patient or a partner, skin selfexamination (SSE) with the assistance of a partner has the potential to improve long-term survival. Given the challenge of examining difficult-to-see body areas (eg, the back), partner assistance is important. By creating a workbook from our experience with 130 in-person interventions that increased SSE and partnerassisted skin examination (PASE), we extend our group’s previous research. The workbook codifies the dialog of the in-person intervention with exercises that amplify skills and provide a framework for the patient and partner to understand the significance of melanoma by “story telling” about other people with melanoma in a way that is a call to action. Herein, we compare the efficacy of the workbook with that of in-person training.