Skinsafe - Interactive computer-based programme
The Skinsafe program was developed in 1998 with funding from the Trent NHS Executive. The interactive computer-based program was designed to educate people about risk factors for malignant melanoma and to promote effective skin-examination.
Users receive personalised feedback of risk based on their response to prompt questions. It also contains both diagrammatic and photographic representations of melenomas to aid early indentification of suspicious lesions.
An effective educational tool
Skinsafe was evaluated in a cluster randomised trial in primary care. GPs and practice nurses were asked to prescribe skinsafe to patients with risk factors for melanoma and users were more knowledgeable about melanoma and more likely to report skin self-examination at six-month follow-up compared to control.
Skinsafe was evaluated very positively by patients and it seems to be an effective educational tool for use in health care settings.
Download
- Download the ZIP file
- Create a folder called Skinsafe and extract the contents of the zip file
- This should create a folder called Skinsafe CD which contains one file called SKINSAFE.EXE, and a sub-folder called XTRAS containing the rest of the files
- Double-click the SKINSAFE.EXE file to run it
- Click NONE when prompted
- Click on the sun to progress through the program
Publication
Glazebrook C., Garrud P., Avery A., Coupland C., Williams H. (2006) Impact of a multimedia intervention "Skinsafe" on patients' knowledge and protective behaviors. Preventive Medicine. 42, (6), (449-454)