SKIN-CANCER CONTROL PRACTICES AMONG PHYSICIANS IN A UNIVERSITY GENERAL MEDICINE PRACTICE

Physician counseling about sun protection and routine screening for sk in cancer in high-risk individuals have been widely recommended, The p urpose of this study was to assess the skin cancer control practices a nd knowledge among physicians in a university-based general medicine p ractice, Fifty-two physicians completed a survey on attitudes toward, behaviors in, and knowledge of shin cancer control, In addition, the a bility of general medicine residents and attending physicians to corre ctly identify and make biopsy recommendations for ten photographed ski n lesions was compared with that of third-year medical students and de rmatology residents and attendings. The results of the survey illustra te a need for improving primary care physicians' knowledge and identif ication of skin cancer risk factors, and increasing the frequency and consistency with which they perform skin cancer prevention counseling and complete skin examination in high-risk patient groups.