WE NEED TO STEP UP OUR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT MELANOMA
A recent survey of adult Canadians, conducted by Leger in March 2020 in collaboration with Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc. and Save Your Skin Foundation, shows gaps in knowledge about the deadliest skin cancer, melanoma.
Here’s what the survey told us:
About one quarter of Canadians (26%) are not aware or don’t know that spending more time in the sun increases their risk of melanoma.
Only half of respondents (51%) say they are knowledgeable about melanoma.
Canadians who claim to be knowledgeable about melanoma are significantly more likely to believe that they are at risk of melanoma (48% vs. 24%) of those who say they are not knowledgeable.
More than half of Canadians (55%) either don’t know or incorrectly identified that small amounts of sun exposure without protection can lead to melanoma.
60% of Canadians have a misconception that melanoma mainly occurs in people with fair skin.
Only 39% correctly identified that melanoma can occur in all skin types.
A majority of Canadians (58%) have a misconception that treating melanoma is a simple procedure.
Two thirds of Canadians (66%) say they would want to know their mutation type if diagnosed with melanoma.
Only 15% strongly agree that knowing their mutation type could change the course of their melanoma treatment journey.
Only half of Canadians (48%) believe that melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer. In the under 55 group, just over one third of the Canadians (37%) identify melanoma as the most dangerous form of skin cancer.
Knowledge is power. Help us get Canadians more informed about melanoma.
To download a PDF version of these findings, click here.
