Piloting A Tool To Measure Patient-Perceived Barriers To Dermatology Access

Background With malignant melanoma incidence rates at a historic national high and greater tumor thickness being the most significant prognostic determinant, early lesion detection and treatment remain the most crucial factors for improving health outcomes. Objective The aim of this study was to design and pilot a survey instrument to document patients' perceived barriers to dermatology care access. Methods A retrospective, descriptive design and a convenience sample of 50 adult participants via a conceptually derived survey were used. Data analyses included descriptive statistics and frequencies; the survey was designed to be analyzed in a subsequent study with other types of data that were not collected as part of this pilot. Results Twenty-one (42%) of participants reported receipt of dermatology care, five (10%) reported no care, and 24 (48%) did not respond to this question. Overall, 30 surveys (60%) were returned incomplete to varying degrees. Limitations Limitations included a small sample size from a homogenous population with access to dermatology care. The reliability and validity of this tool were not evaluated. Conclusions It was unclear whether lower completion rates were attributed to the survey or study design, but several research-driven suggestions were made that may be helpful in improving this tool for future use.