The Melanoma Awareness Project (Version: 1.0)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
People’s knowledge and understanding about malignant melanoma
IRAS ID
162973
Contact name
John Anderson
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 16 days
Research summary
Melanoma is "a serious type of cancer that begins in the skin and can spread to other organs in the body." (NHS Choices 2012) It is the fifth most common type of cancer in the UK in 2011. Since the mid-1970s, the growth in incidence rates of malignant melanoma (MM) has been much more rapid than any of the commonest ten cancers. The crude mortality rate of MM in 2011 was 4/100 000 and 3/100 000 among males and females respectively. (Cancer Research UK 2014, Parkin, et al. 2011)
A literature search has been undertaken. 935 articles were retrieved. This number was reduced to 108 after scanning the titles and abstracts of the identified literature. The focus of the identified studies has been mainly on the recognition of the signs of melanoma, knowledge about risk factors, methods of prevention, and effectiveness of public awareness campaigns.However, there is a significant gap in research focusing on people’s perception and knowledge of the significance, progression, prognosis, and treatability of MM.
The question arises – “What are lay people's knowledge and understanding about the significance and outcomes of melanoma?”
It is proposed to conduct a study consisting of two phases:
a) Interviews with Health Care Professionals: to investigate their experience and awareness of lay knowledge and beliefs.
b) Interviews with patients with MM: to chart the development of their knowledge and awareness of the condition and its prognostic significance.
The Health Beliefs Model recognizes the role of people's perceived susceptibility and severity in contributing to their actions to prevent or deal with disease. (Day, et al. 2014) It is important to be aware of public perceptions of the implications - in terms of severity and outcomes - of different cancers.REC name
East of England - Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/EE/0096
Date of REC Opinion
30 Apr 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion