Patient Education on Skin Cancer: A Comparison of Video and Pamphlet Formats at a Free Screening Event

Background Skin cancer incidence is rising, and people of color often present with more advanced, aggressive disease due to delayed detection. Identifying effective educational tools in community screening settings may improve early detection by increasing awareness of risk factors and promoting self-skin examinations. This study compared the effectiveness of a video versus a written pamphlet in educating patients about skin cancer, risk factors, and self-skin examination techniques at a community health event. Methods 72 participants recruited from two free skin cancer screening events, held in Gainesville, Florida, in November 2023 and April 2024, were randomized to receive educational information via video or pamphlet. Participants completed demographic questionnaires and six pre- and post-survey questions. Educational materials and surveys were available in English and Spanish. Results 44.4% (n = 32) of participants identified as people of color. Surveys were completed in English by 87.5% and in Spanish by 12.5%. Video participants demonstrated significant improvements in knowledge and self-examination confidence across all six questions, with paired response analysis showing improvements in 5/6 questions. Pamphlet readers exhibited significant improvement in 4/6 questions in both overall and paired comparisons. Conclusions The video format demonstrated a slight advantage over the pamphlet in enhancing knowledge and self-examination confidence. Providing educational materials in multiple formats at free screening events may improve skin cancer awareness, particularly in minority populations.