Skin cancer knowledge and screening behaviors amongst audiologists at South Texas Veterans Health Care System: identifying gaps and proposing a solution

Abstract

Early detection and treatment of cutaneous malignancy are critical for improving patient outcomes, reducing morbidity and mortality, and minimizing healthcare costs. While non-medical professionals, such as hairdressers, have been identified as facilitators of skin cancer screening, no study has examined the audiologist's role. Given their routine interaction with ears, audiologists are uniquely positioned to facilitate timely dermatologic evaluation for suspicious lesions. This study evaluates the impact of an educational intervention on skin cancer knowledge, attitudes, and referral practices among audiologists at the South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS), with pre- and post-intervention surveys completed by 12 and 8 participants, respectively. All participants reported little or no prior skin cancer training; 58% (7/12) expressed strong interest in such education. Post-intervention, overall knowledge increased significantly (p = 0.0023), with significant improvements for benign (p = 0.039) and malignant (p = 0.046), but not pre-malignant (p = 0.5), lesions. Referral accuracy remained high for malignant lesions (100% for basal and squamous cell carcinomas and 94% for melanomas). Participants noted increased awareness of their role in skin cancer detection, enhanced familiarity with melanoma, and greater dermatology referral comfort. This study highlights the effectiveness of a brief educational intervention in equipping audiologists with skin cancer knowledge, establishing audiologists as meaningful contributors to early detection of cutaneous malignancies.