New Global Research Project:
Melanoma and Behavior in the Sun |
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October 9, 2007, Volume 54, No. 7 |
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Summer is over, but researchers’ concerns regarding sun exposure and melanoma risk continue. The University of Pennsylvania is a member of GenoMEL—an international research consortium coordinated by the University of Leeds—which has launched an on-line survey asking people about what they do in the sun and what they think about skin cancer. As coordinator of GenoMEL, professor Julia Newton Bishop, commented, “This is a great way for people to take part in research and to really make the most of the Internet. With an online survey we can involve thousands and thousands of people whereas with more traditional methods we could only reach a few hundred. This research is taking place in collaboration between many research groups worldwide and is funded by the European Union.”
Completing the on-line survey takes between 20 to 30 minutes and consists of multiple-choice questions. There is an option to request information about how you can reduce your risk of developing skin cancer. This innovative research will examine two key questions:
• How do people interpret their risk of melanoma?
• What protective measures are acceptable to them?
The questionnaire will be available until the end of the year at www.genomel.org. GenoMEL’s website will carry regular updates on the progress of the research. The final results will help develop more effective skin cancer prevention strategies and inform GenoMEL’s Internet based melanoma education packages.
For further information regarding this research project, please contact: Althea D. Ruffin, GenoMEL Project Manager, (215) 573-8897, or adr@mail.med.upenn.edu.
For further information regarding melanoma please visit www.genomel.org. |
