Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39170048›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in medicine2024

The role of physical therapists in the early detection of skin melanoma: insights from an anonymous survey.

Bar Arouch, Michal Elboim-Gabyzon

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in medicine, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors.

Bar ArouchDepartment of Physical Therapy, School of Social Welfare and Health Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
Michal Elboim-GabyzonDepartment of Physical Therapy, School of Social Welfare and Health Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: Skin melanoma is the most severe form of skin cancer. Recent years have seen an increase in melanoma incidence. Melanomas often appear on the back, a hidden area, leading to late diagnoses. Physical therapists, who frequently treat patients with lower back pain, could play a crucial role in early melanoma detection. Methods: An anonymous online survey was conducted among 254 Israeli physical therapists to assess their perspectives on melanoma detection, their knowledge in identifying suspicious lesions, and their referral patterns. The survey included sections on demographics, professional perspectives, melanoma knowledge, personal or family experiences with melanoma, and referral frequency for dermatological evaluation. Results: The survey revealed that 75.2% of physical therapists viewed melanoma detection as part of their professional duties, yet 59.1% reported insufficient knowledge in identifying suspicious lesions. Despite this, 94.1% expressed a desire to improve their knowledge. However, only 44.1% actively referred patients with suspicious lesions to dermatologists. There was a significant positive correlation between professional experience and referral rates ( Discussion: The study highlights the critical need for incorporating melanoma detection training into physical therapy education and professional development. Enhancing physical therapists' knowledge and skills in this area could improve early detection and patient outcomes. Despite the potential role of physical therapists in melanoma detection, current training programs lack emphasis on this aspect, underscoring the importance of revising educational curricula to include skin cancer detection techniques. Conclusion: The findings suggest that while physical therapists recognize their role in melanoma detection, there is a significant knowledge gap. Addressing this through targeted education and training could enhance early detection efforts and improve patient care.

Indexed as

detectioneducationhealth promotionphysical therapyskin melanoma

Identifiers

PMID39170048
PMCPMC11337224

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.