• Patient exit interviews at 12 months [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  

• Patient exit interviews at 2 months [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  

OBJECTIVES:

Primary

• Compare the efficacy of a continuing education course designed to improve primary care physician performance in examination and counseling of patients about skin cancer vs a continuing education course designed to improve physician assessment of weight management.
• Evaluate physician performance of skin examination during routine patient visits at 12 months after completion of the skin cancer continuing education course.
• Evaluate physician counseling around skin cancer issues.

Secondary

• Evaluate the efficacy of the skin cancer continuing education course in improving physician skin cancer triage skills and in changing physician attitudes and knowledge regarding skin cancer issues.
• Assess improvements in physician assessment of weight, diet, and physical activity.

OUTLINE: This is a randomized, multicenter study. Physicians are stratified according to participating center. Physicians are randomized to 1 of 2 intervention arms.

• Arm I (skin cancer continuing education course): Physicians complete a 1-hour continuing education course on skin cancer. The course is available to the physician as a reference for up to 12 months. Physicians complete an online test at baseline, immediately after the course is completed, and at 1 month and 12 months after course completion to assess their knowledge, attitudes, skill, and practices towards skin examination and skin cancer counseling.

Patients are interviewed by telephone within 1 week after a routine office visit with their physician to assess the physician's skin assessment and skin cancer counseling practices. The interviews are conducted prior to and at 1 month and 12 months after the physician completes the continuing education course.

• Arm II (weight control continuing education course): Physicians complete a 1-hour continuing education course on weight, dietary, and physical activity assessment and counseling. The course is available to the physician as a reference for up to 12 months. Physicians complete an online test at baseline, immediately after the course is completed, and at 1 month and 12 months after course completion to assess their knowledge, attitudes, skill, and practices towards weight, dietary, and physical activity assessment and counseling.

Patients are interviewed by telephone within 1 week after a routine office visit with their physician to assess the physician's weight, dietary, and physical activity assessment and counseling practices. The interviews are conducted prior to and at 1 month and 12 months after the physician completes the continuing education course.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 50 physicians and 4,500 patients will be accrued for this study.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Primary care physician, meeting all of the following criteria:

  • General internist or family physician
  • Must devote at least 75% of their time to primary care practice
  • At least 1 year in practice
  • Must be in a community-based practice with no more than 1 participating physician per practice
  • Must not be planning to retire within the next 2 years
  • Has a patient population that is predominantly at substantial risk of melanoma and other skin cancers (i.e., adults whose non-sun-exposed skin color is white or tan, but not brown)

• Patient

  • Adult who is scheduled for a routine office visit with a study physician

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Not specified

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• Not specified