Abstract
Introduction The incidence of malignant melanoma (MM) in the United Kingdom (UK) has significantly increased in recent years and is expected to continue to rise over the next decade. Despite the preventable nature of most MM cases, existing evidence suggests that public health education around skin cancer and sun safety is often suboptimal, particularly for secondary school populations. Unlike primary school curricula, there is no national guidance to mandate the teaching of this topic in secondary school. Early intervention through education can encourage sun-safe practices, and therefore potentially reduce the risk of MM developing. The primary aim of this study was to improve awareness of skin cancer, including its risk factors and preventive measures, amongst sixth-form students. Methods An online workshop was organised by In2MedSchool, a national widening access charitable scheme for aspiring medical students, in collaboration with the Karen Clifford Skin Cancer Charity. Plan-Do-Study-Act methodology was utilised to design and evaluate a skin cancer awareness and sun safety workshop. It addressed key topics such as MM risk factors, preventive measures, and the widely used 'ABCDE' assessment of MM. A total of 73 students from across the UK attended the virtual workshop. To maximise engagement, visual aids, low-stakes quizzing, and an interactive chat function were utilised. Participants completed anonymous pre- and post-intervention questionnaires, assessing their confidence and knowledge in understanding skin cancer risk factors and sun-safe behaviours. Confidence levels were measured using a seven-point Likert scale, and knowledge was evaluated through a ten-question assessment. Statistical analyses, including averages, medians, interquartile ranges (IQR), and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were performed to assess the changes in participants' knowledge and confidence. Results Before the intervention, participants reported an average confidence score of 4.07 in understanding skin cancer risk factors, which significantly improved to 6.39 after the workshop, representing a 57.09% increase (p < 0.00001). Confidence in applying protective measures increased by 45.67%, from 4.51 to 6.57 (p < 0.00001). In addition, most students expressed feeling underprepared by existing sun safety programs at both primary and secondary school levels. Knowledge assessments demonstrated significant improvement, with average scores increasing from 7.49 pre-intervention to 9.10 post-intervention (21.46% improvement, p < 0.00001). The median score increased from 8 (IQR: 3) to 9 (IQR: 1) following the workshop, demonstrating a notable increase in understanding of skin cancer risk factors, protective behaviours, and early detection methods. Conclusion Our findings indicate that many secondary school students feel unprepared regarding existing skin cancer awareness and sun safety programs in school. This study provides evidence to suggest that targeted, interactive workshops have the potential to improve awareness and knowledge of this important topic in the short term. However, participants in this cohort are likely to have an established interest in medicine and healthcare, beyond that of their wider peer group. This limits the broader application of our findings. Further research that explores the longer-term impact of such interventions, including changes in attitudes and behaviours, is recommended.